Naxal encounters, IED blast mar first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh

Kanker: 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.

A commando of CoBRA, an elite unit of CRPF, was injured in the improvised explosive device (IED) blast triggered by Naxalites in 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 Kanker district, where polling is being held in the first phase of the state assembly elections, the officials said.

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 in view of the polling, a senior police official said.

After guns fell silent, an AK-47 rifle was recovered from the spot. Search was underway in the area, he said.

Bande area falls in Antagarh assembly segment, which is among the 20 constituencies where voting is being held in the first phase of state elections on Tuesday.

A brief exchange of fire also took place between Naxalites and security personnel near Banda polling station in Sukma district, 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, police said.

On Monday, two polling personnel and a BSF jawan were injured in Chhotebethiya police station area in Antagarh constituency when a pressure 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.