Bijapur: An Assistant Commandant of CRPF on election duty got injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites near Chihka village of Bhairamgarh in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday.
The injured officer was brought to Bhairamgarh Hospital for treatment, a Bijapur Police official said. Earlier in the day, another Jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed on poll duty in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district was injured when a shell of an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) accidentally exploded, a police official said.
The injured jawan was immediately evacuated from the site and was administered preliminary treatment. The incident occurred near Galgam village under the Usoor police station area when a team of security personnel was out on an area domination operation around 500 metres from a polling booth, he said.
The polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is underway amid tight security in the Naxal-hit Bastar as the Maoists have given a call to boycott the elections.
In a post on 'X', Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said, "Received sad news that a soldier engaged in the security of a polling station suffered injuries in UBGL shell blast in Bijapur amid the ongoing voting in Bastar Lok Sabha. Instructions have been given to ensure proper treatment for the injured. His condition stated to be out of danger. I wish for his speedy recovery".
Long queues of voters were witnessed at several polling stations in Dantewada, Bijapur and Bastar districts. "Amid tight security, polling in the Bastar seat started at 7 am and is underway smoothly. At least 28.12 per cent polling was registered till 11 am," an election official said.
