Heavily inebriated voter turned away by police at Dharapuram

Dharapuram: High drama unfolded during polling for the Dharapuram byelection when an intoxicated man attempting to cast his vote was stopped and escorted away by security personnel at a local polling booth.

On Tuesday morning, as voters queued up to exercise their franchise at Thalavaipatti polling station, police officers on duty noticed a man arriving at the polling station in a heavily inebriated state. According to eyewitnesses and video footage captured at the scene, the individual struggled to walk steadily and created a momentary disturbance near the voting area. Sensing a potential disruption to the election process and safety concerns inside the booth, police personnel acted swiftly. They intercepted the man, preventing him from entering the voting compartment, and safely escorted him out of the premises and urged him to exercise his franchise later in the afternoon after taking rest.

Election officials reiterated that while every eligible citizen is encouraged to participate in the democratic process, maintaining order, decorum, and security at polling stations remains a top priority during elections. No charges were immediately pressed, and polling resumed smoothly following the brief interruption.