Naxal encounters, IED blast mar 1st phase of polling in Chhattisgarh

The Naxalites created violence in Chhattisgarh during the 1st phase of polling on Tuesday. An AK-47 rifle was recovered after an encounter between Naxalites and security personnel in the Kanker district.

Kanker (Chhattisgarh):An IED blast triggered by Naxalites and three different encounters between them and security personnel marred the first phase of polling underway in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, officials said. The Naxalites created violence in Kanker, Narayanpur and Dantewada. A commando of CoBRA, an elite unit of CRPF, was injured in the improvised explosive device (IED) blast triggered by Naxalites in the Sukma district while his unit was undertaking an area domination operation to ensure security during the polls, they said.

An AK-47 rifle was recovered after an encounter between Naxalites and security personnel in the Kanker district where polling is being held in the first phase of the state assembly elections, the officials said. A farmer who had gone to graze his cattle was shot in the incident. He was rushed to the hospital by the officials and is undergoing treatment. Some Naxalites might have been killed or injured in the face-off, they claimed.

The incident took place at around 1 pm near Panavar village under Bande police station limits when a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an area domination operation given the polling, a senior police officer said. After guns fell silent, an AK-47 rifle was recovered from the spot.

A search was underway in the area, he said. CRPF jawans have recovered two IEDs during a search in the Aranpur police station area under Dantewada assembly constituency. Bande area falls in the Antagarh assembly segment, which is among the 20 constituencies where voting is being held in the first phase of elections on Tuesday.

A brief exchange of fire also took place between Naxalites and security personnel near Banda polling station in Sukma district, the police said. Another encounter took place between security forces and Naxalites in Orchha police station area of Narayanpur district. No harm was reported to security personnel in these two incidents, the police said.

On Monday, two polling personnel and a BSF jawan were injured in the Chhotebethiya police station area in the Antagarh constituency when an improvised explosive device (IED), planted by Naxalites, went off when polling parties escorted by security personnel were heading to their polling booths. Voting is being held in 20 constituencies on Tuesday in the first phase of the two-phase elections for the 90-member state assembly.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh recorded a voter turnout of 70.87 percent till 5 pm in 20 constituencies on Tuesday, according to the Election Commission of India. The government data shows the highest voter turnout of 76 percent in the Mohla Manpur district and the lowest 40.98 percent in Bijapur.

The statement issued by Sukma Police reads, "The situation is currently under control. Voting is going on in the area and everyone is voting without any fear. Voting has started in Sukma from 7 am and will continue here till 3 pm."

"This morning, Naxalites opened fire on District Reserve Guard (DRG) deployed in the outer circle, about 2 kilometers from the Banda polling station. Security forces retaliated and after 10 minutes the firing from the Naxal side stopped. All the soldiers are safe and voting is going on," the Sukma police said in the statement.

Meanwhile, at least 40,000 personnel of security forces have been deployed here. Along with the security of the polling party, strict security at the polling centre has been arranged. A three-layer security system has been implemented here. (With agency inputs)