Polling begins on violent note

The Naxalite attacks, which intermittently occurring since Sunday in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh, did not stop even on the day of first phase of polling and in the fresh attack in all the four states Thursday at least 11 people have been killed, including nine security personnel.

As per the reports, seven Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed in Jharkhand alone while a policeman and a Home Guard were killed in Bihar. Casualties could be more as no complete reports have come yet.

In the first Maoist’s attack at Latehar in Jharkhand, a bus ferrying staffs on election duty to the Ladhup village polling booth was blown up in a landmine blast followed by a fierce gun battle between BSF and Naxalites, killing seven jawans. The driver and helper were killed instantly in the blast.

The encounter at several places between security forces and Maoists also disrupted voting in Jharkhand’s Khuti, Chatra and Palamau districts.

Maoists also launched attack in Bankebazaar in Gaya district in Bihar killing a policeman and a Homeguard in an open firing. Six voters, including two women, standing in a queue then also got injury and were hospitalised. The assailants also looted an electronic voting machine (EVM) and four rifles.

In Chhattisgarh, the guerrillas opened fire at six polling booths in Dantewada and Narayanpur districts of the southern Bastar region. No one was injured, said ADG of Police Girdhari Nayak.

Dantewada Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma said two people have been critically injured in a Naxalite attack at Sonapal in Narayanpur district.

"There have been blasts at polling booths at Gotabanur and Narayanpur. Our forces exchange fire with the Naxalites. Polling has resumed in all these places," said Rahul Sharma.

Voting also disrupted in Orissa after Maoists, boycotting election, also attacked at four polling stations in Malkangiri and Sundargarh districts, and torched a voting machine and a vehicle.

In one village, the rebels burnt an EVM and an Election Commission vehicle,” said Satyabrata Bhoi, a police officer.

The first phase of polling is taking place in 15 States and two Union Territories for the 13 out of 40 seats in Bihar, Maharashtra 13 (48), Andhra Pradesh 22 (42), Orissa 10 (21), Assam 3 (14), Jammu and Kashmir 1 (6), Arunachal Pradesh 2 (2), Jharkhand 6 (14), Uttar Pradesh 16 (80). People are also exercising franchise in all 20 seats of Kerala, 11 in Chhattisgarh and two in Meghalaya going for poll in single phase today.