May 21 – Election Day, at about 2:00 MP when observers from the Human Rights Center were distributed to various polling stations in Zugdidi District to perform their election monitoring responsibilities, two buses traveling from the village of Nabakevi to Zugdidi were allegedly ambushed by Russian backed Abkhaz separatist and the bus blowup with shooting and human casualties in the village of Khurch.

Nana Kardava, director of the Nabakevi Public School, was one of passengers in the buses traveling to Zugdidi along with 60 others. They were making the trip in order to cast their vote in the March 21, 2008 Georgian parliamentary elections. Tornike Kilanava, a representative of the Gali Administration and also a relative of the injured woman, reported to the Human Rights Center that Nana Kardava had been wounded on her right back and how she had suffered numerous injuries all over the body.
Zaal Eliava, a local and eyewitness, also accompanied Nana Kardava to Zugdidi hospital told how “People were eager to vote and they decided to taken part in the progressive activities that were occur on the Georgian side of the divide between Abkhazia and Georgia proper.  We were traveling from Nabakevi by two buses and as soon as we crossed the border the shooting started. It was as everybody was shooting a wide range of firearms were used; they even used grenade launcher too. I lied down on the ground like others and only thought of surviving. A grenade exploded the close distance of five meters away from me; I could have been killed.
He continues his horrifying story, “I then went with the wounded Nana Kardava. We were able to flag down a car on the highway and were driven to the hospital. Others were also wounded but their medical conditions were not so grave. Initially, they were firing from Abkhazian side but later we heard shooting from both sides. I could not be sure of anything; I was unconscious.”
Anatoli Jologua, another alleged eyewitness of the incident stated: “We arrived in the village of Khurcha within Koki Community to vote. When we were entering the village when first heard gunshots. As soon as we exited from the buses we saw Abkhazian armed forces. They saw the people who were moving to the buses and who had wanted to arrive in Kobi. Fortunately, the people were not on the bus yet; they could have killed all of us.
Journalist, TV reporters were on the place. They were filming people who were going to participation in the election process.
Koba Davitashvili, single mandate candidate from the United Opposition, visited Nana Kardava. He told, “This woman has become a victim of a provocation organized by Abkhaz separatists and Russian peacekeepers. Consequently we now call upon the government to send it police and security forces to the villages of Khurcha and Ganmukhuri to protect our people instead of deploying them to polling stations.”
Nana Pazhava, journalist for the Human Rights Center, immediately traveled to the place of in shooting and explosion incident.
“I was fifty meters away from the place where the two buses were burning. Special Forces, rapid reaction forces, regional police, firefighting vehicles and ambulances were immediately mobilized on the scene. Shooting was heard from both sides on my arrival too. Locals reported that fire was being exchanged, both automatic small arms fire and an exchange between grenade launchers. A group of police also moved forward towards the scene of the firefight.
Locals claimed the incident coincided when journalists of Georgian TV Companies had left for the villages situated at the Georgian-Abkhazian de-facto border. They were to record people who were crossing Enguri River to part in the elections. Journalists represented Georgian Public Broadcasting (State TV) and Rustavi 2.
However, there were different stories. We obtained different information from Shorena Koria, a local resident. She lives 50 meters away from the place of the incident. She recalled that when she arrived at the place of the accident she saw strange people sitting in a Jeep were talking with the locals. These strangers told villagers that two buses were on their way from the other side of Enguri River and it would be better if they would more people on the place because journalists were assembled to meet them on the scene. Koria said she had refused to accompany the strangers to the place where others had assembled. However, others had not, and they had gone with them. The journalists started filming as the people begin to get out from the buses. It was at this instance that the shooting started.  Soon two mini-buses were completely burned up.
Nana Pazhava shares yet another version that based on what locals told her.  They reported that Abkhazian people were not deployed on the scene where the explosion took place and actually everything had been organized by a certain group of people.
They said “People are tired of seeing so many staged performances. How long can such kinds of incidents organized to take place before each and every elections? Moreover, the people stated they understand that in spite of the fanfare that such incidents are not intended to kill anybody. However, it is possible that somebody might end up dead from a stray bullet.
Russian military forces and Russian Colonel arrived on the place as well. Pashtian, [first name not available], Commander of Russian peacekeepers, Zaza Gorozia, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Governor and representatives of the Gali District Administration soon arrived in the village of Khurcha. People stated to them they had failed in carrying out their scenario. Russian colonel said he could make comments only after he learned about the situation. Surprisingly, Georgian commander should have been more interested in finding out the situation than what had been the Russian Colonel. I had an impression that Pashtian was trying to pull away the Russian Colonel from me in order to prevent to keep us from talking.”
After the incident, the polling station in Khurcha was closed down. The incident was broadcasted on National News.  Much attention was given to it by the media and other interested stakeholders became of it far-reaching implications.