A sub-inspector of Border Security Force (BSF) was killed when Maoists reportedly triggered six IED blasts in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, a day ahead of polling in the region.
In another incident, one Maoist was gunned down on in an encounter with security forces in Chhattigsarh’s insurgency-hit Bijapur district.
Police said that a set of six IED blasts was reported to have been triggered by Maoists to target the security forces in between Kattakal and Gome villages.
The blast took place at around 8.30 am when a team of BSF was on routine area domination in Koliyabeda area. The area comes under Antahgarh assembly constituency from where MP Vikram Usendi has been fielded by BJP in the assembly elections.
Kanker SP KL Dhruve said BSF sub-inspector, Mahendra Singh was rushed to a hospital after he sustained splinter and bullet injuries.
Soon after being alerted, reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured was being evacuated from the forest.
“We have launched a combing operation in the area after the blast,” the SP added.
On the encounter in Bijapur district, special director general of police (anti-naxal operation) DM Awasthi said the exchange of fire broke out in the forest of Bedre police station limits when a team of Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-naxal operation.
Security has been heightened in seven districts of Bastar division and Rajnandgaon district going to polls in the first phase on Monday (November 12) and around one lakh security personnel has been deployed to ensure smooth conduct of elections.
The Maoists have called upon voters to boycott the polls.
The first phase of polls covers 18 constituencies of eight Maoist-affected districts — Bastar, Kanker, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon. The remaining 72 constituencies will witness polling on November 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 11.