Chhattisgarh: Naxals fire at security personnel in near Banda polling station

Dakshin Bastar Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) [India]: As voting in the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh progressed, Naxals fired at District Rerserve Guard (DRG) personnel deployed near Banda polling station the State, police said on Tuesday.

Sukma Police said that security forces retaliated, leading to a ten-minute exchange of fire before the Naxals stopped their attack.

The personnel were deployed for duty in the outer cordon around 2 kilometres away from the Banda polling state.

All jawans were safe and voting is still underway, they added.

Of the 20 assembly constituencies that voted in today’s polls, multiple districts are naxal infested.

Earlier today, a jawan of the Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF) was injured in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blast triggered by Naxals in the Tondamarka area of Sukma district in the state.

The jawan was deployed on election duty during the time of the blast.

Chhattisgarh, which has a 90-member house is undergoing elections in two phases, with the second phase scheduled for November 17.

Of the 20 constituencies that are witnessing polling in the state, 12 are from the Bastar division.

Voting is being held in constituencies that are Naxal-affected and fall in districts like Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Kabeerdham, and Rajnandgaon.

A voter turnout of 22.97 per cent has been recorded in Chhattisgarh till 11 am, according to the Election Commission of India.

The counting of votes is scheduled for December 3.