Team Herald

MAPUSA: Candidates, polling agents panicked on Saturday creating a tense situation was created outside the strong room at Peddem where ballot paper boxes of Mapusa Municipal elections are stored.

Situation turned uptight when candidates alleged that an unauthorised person had entered into the strong room which made all those outside lose their nerve for some time.

It was also discovered that there were no police guards outside the strong room.

According to candidates, on Saturday afternoon an unknown person entered into the strong room but the police deployed in the strong room did not reportedly take down his details. Candidates thought the unknown person was not granted permission.

More confusion followed when polling agents reportedly retrieved a paper having signatures of candidates from Ward 14 lying outside the strong room. How can the paper be thrown out when the counting has not even taken place was a doubt which crossed their mind.

However, reliable sources later clarified and claimed that the person was a staff from the office of the Deputy Collector who was on duty at the strong room.

When contacted Residing officer Mamu Hage said, “There was no breach of the strong room. The strong room is guarded by police 24 hours,” Hage added.