At Least 44 Killed in Election Violence

A wave of violence erupted in Indian parliamentary elections, killing at least 44 people as guerrillas blew up a police patrol and election boycotters clashed with security forces. After the third round of balloting in the five-phase election, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s coalition firmed his lead over the leading opposition party, Sonia Gandhi’s Congress, and was poised to return to power with a parliamentary majority, an exit poll showed. Of the 44 who died, 34 were police officers, soldiers, election workers and two magistrates. They were killed when at least eight land mines exploded under vehicles carrying them to work at polling stations in northeast Bihar, officials said. Chaos and violence continued at election sites throughout India, killing at least 10 others.