One killed, more than 20 wounded in Egypt poll violence Wed

One killed, more than 20 wounded in Egypt poll violence Wed  

Egypt’s parliamentary polls claimed a second victim when supporters of a newly-elected MP seized backers of a losing candidate, tied them to the back of tractors and dragged them through the streets, police said.

 
Another 21 people were wounded, some of them seriously, in the incident in the neighbouring villages of Al-Abshitiya and Dansho, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) northwest of Cairo.

The victims lay in their blood for an hour before police were able to disperse the mob with tear-gas, police said.

The constituency in the Gharbiya governorate which voted in last week’s second phase of legislative elections has been the scene of several incidents since the victory of an independent candidate, police General Sayyed Gaber.

Supporters of losing candidate Mohammed Kamel Marai from President     Hosni Mubarak’s ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) had accused the police of interfering in favour of the general and rigging the results.

The general’s supporters launched their deadly attack after false rumours were spread that young women from their area had been kidnapped by NDP thugs.

The month-long polls that kicked off on November 9 claimed their first victim Sunday when the driver for an independent candidate was beaten to death by thugs hired by the NDP, independent vote monitors said.