Naxal violence rocked Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa today in the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, leaving at least 16 dead, including six BSF personnel, as moderate to brisk voting was reported in 124 constituencies across 17 states and UTs, majority of which lie in the Naxal red corridor.
Shortly before voting began this morning, Naxalites detonated a landmine to blast a bus carrying BSF personnel at Ladup in Jharkhand?s Latehar district. Eight persons were killed and 12 others injured.
Among the dead were six from the BSF. The injured BSF jawans were airlifted to Ranchi and admitted to the Apollo Hospital. ?They are out of danger,? said Apollo Hospital superintendent P D Singh.
The incident took place at 6.30 am, half an hour before polling was to begin. Injured BSF constable Pratap Singh recalled: ?We were on foot because we had to escort poll staff till the booth. We then boarded a bus to return but it hit a landmine.?
Elsewhere in Jharkhand ?Koderma, Lohardaga, Khunti, Chatra, Palamau and Hazaribagh were the six constituencies voting today ?Naxalites tried to disrupt polls, abducting and later releasing poll staff in Manika in Palamau, attacking 10 booths in Lesligunj, burning EVMs and assaulting poll staff in Khunti.
In Bihar, a Home Guard and a policeman on election duty were shot dead and another injured by Naxals in Singhpur village in Gaya district. Two policemen were missing. In Orissa, Naxalites set ablaze at least three polling booths, EVMs in Malkangiri district.
In Chhattisgarh, five polling officers and a CRPF jawan were killed in two separate incidents of Naxal violence. Police in Raipur said that Naxalites blew up a vehicle carrying reserve poll staff, killing five and leaving two wounded. In a separate incident in Bastar-ST constituency, a CRPF jawan was killed and five others injured when Naxalites opened fire to prevent poll staff and security personnel from reaching Maroki in Dantewada. Polling could not take place at Maroki.
An estimated 60% of 14.31 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first phase of the elections. One hundred and twenty four constituencies across the 17 states and UTs went to polls on Thursday.