Back5 poll officials, 2 jawans die in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh
5 poll officials, 2 jawans die in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh
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Raipur: Five poll officials and two CRPF personnel were killed as Maoists, who had called for election boycott, triggered nearly a dozen blasts and snatched nine EVMs in Bastar area and Rajnandganv district during voting on Thursday in Chhattisgarh for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls.
Maoists blew up a van ferrying poll officials by triggering a mine blast in Rajnandanv district, 75 km from here, additional director general of Police Girdhari Nayak said.
Zonal officer A K Acharya was among five poll officials killed and two others were injured in the explosion at Phulwera village, he said.
Maoists attacked several polling stations in the worst affected Bastar region, including Marocci where two CRPF jawan were killed and five others injured. Choppers were pressed into service to evacuate the injured, police said.
The extremists also attacked polling stations in Nernar, Sonapal amd Karmari areas of Narainpur district, 300 km from here and Karmari in Dantewada district, 400 km from here. However, no casulaties were reported.
In Dantewada, the naxals snatched nine electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Handawara, Bhatpal, Nirvaya, Kanepal, Yurgum, Jangapal and Kokanar.
Naik said the Maoists carried out blasts at nearly a dozen places while 12 landmines were recovered by security forces.
Maoists had announced a boycott of elections. Voting was held on Thursday in all 11 seats in Chhattisgarh.
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