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New Delhi: Voting is underway in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly election for 20 seats today amid 3-tier security cordon. A day before Chhattisgarh election, two polling personnel and a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan were injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites in the Kanker district. The injured BSF constable has been identified as Prakash Chand, who sustained injuries to his legs and was rushed to Chhotepethiya for treatment, according to sources.
The blast unfolded in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district. It has been attributed to an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the Naxalites. Chhattisgarh is one of the naxal-affected states. Of the total 33 states, 14 have been declared as Maoist-affected, formally dubbed as ‘Left Wing Extremism’ (LWE) by the Union government.
The IED exploded at around 4 pm when four polling parties escorted by security personnel were heading to their respective polling stations under Chhote Bethiya police station limits. The injured BSF constable, Prakash Chand, who sustained severe injuries to his legs and was rushed to Chhote Bethiya for treatment where their condition was said to be out of danger. Meanwhile, both polling officers sustained minor injuries in the IED blast in Chhattisgarh.
According to reports, a joint team of BSF and district police had set out from Marbeda camp escorting the polling teams to Rengaghati Rengagondi polling station.
The rest of the polling teams have safely reached the Rengagondi polling booth which falls under the Antagarh assembly constituency. A search operation is underway in the area. Antagarh will go to the polls today.
Chhattisgarh is holding the first of the two phases of polling today. A total of 20 of the state’s total 90 seats go to polls on Tuesday. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. In the first phase, polling will be held in 20 seats in seven districts of the Naxal-affected Bastar division and four other districts, namely Rajnandgaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Kabirdham and Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai.
Antagarh is among the 20 constituencies which will go to polls in the first phase of two-phase elections Today.
