Ranchi, April 15 (IANS) Seven people, including five Maoist rebels, were killed when guerrillas attacked a bus carrying security personnel in Jharkhand's Lathear area, just before the first phase of parliamentary elections on Thursday.
The bus carrying around 80 security personnel was ambushed near Nimiadih village of Lathear district, about 140 Km from here, late Tuesday.
Maoist rebels first detonated a landmine and then started firing indiscriminately. The security personnel retaliated with gunfire.
'The bus driver was killed on the spot and one security personnel died on the way to hospital. The bodies of five Maoist rebels have also been recovered,' police spokesperson S.N. Pradhan told IANS.
Four security personnel were injured in the incident. They have been referred to the Apollo Hospital here.
Over 200 Maoist rebels also attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) camp near Ratnag in Palamau district, about 190 km from here, Tuesday night.
There were around 70 BSF personnel in the camp, which was set up to ensure peaceful polling. The gunbattle between the guerrillas and security personnel lasted several hours but no one was injured.
The six parliamentary constituencies that go to the polls in the first phase of elections Thursday are considered Maoist strongholds. The polling will be conducted under air surveillance by five India Air Force (IAF) helicopters.
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