Maoists strike a day before Chhattisgarh polls: IED blast kills BSP jawan in Kanker; police kill ultra in encounter in Bijapur

Just a day before the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, a Maoist was killed and another was apprehended in an encounter between security forces and Left-Wing Extremists in Bijapur district’s Bedre area on Sunday. A gunbattle is still underway between security forces and the ultras in the Maoist-affected district. Meanwhile, arms and ammunition were recovered from the site and further details on the ongoing operation are being awaited. [caption id=“attachment_3743631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] In another incident on Sunday morning, Border Security Force (BSF) ASI Mahender Singh was injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Kanker’s Koyalibeda. Later, he was airlifted to Raipur where he succumbed to his injuries. A set of 6 IEDs were planted in a series and were set off in one go between village Gome and Gattakal in Koyali beda, ANI reported. Singh sustained splinter and bullet injury on his neck. P Sundaraj, DIG, Anti-Naxals Operations, in Raipur said, “The situation in the area is normal now. Security forces are conducting search operation in the area.” The attacks on Sunday took place just days after Maoist killed four civilians and one Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel in an IED blast triggered at a bus near Bacheli in the Dantewada district. Whereas, a cameraperson working with national broadcaster Doordarshan and two police officers were killed by Maoist in an attack on 30 October . In February, six police personnel, including an SHO, were killed in a Maoist attack in the Dantewada district.   Ahead of the polls in the 18 Assembly seats in eight districts of Chhattisgarh on 12 November, in phase one of the state Assembly election, tight security arrangements have been made in the Maoist-affected areas of the state as they have put up posters and pamphlets across the state warning locals to steer clear of the elections. _India Today_ reported that the Maoists have threatened to cut off the fingers of people who are spotted with the voter ink on their hands. With inputs from ANI