Chhattisgarh: An IED blast triggered by Naxals hit convoy of BJP candidate in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district. BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi and four security personnel were killed in the blast, police informed.
The Maoist ultras had, like previous years, given a call for a poll boycott with posters and pamphlets and threats of violence. A massive security blanket of over 80,000 personnel and drones were arranged in the Naxal-infested Bastar region. The attack occurred despite these measures.
Police had earlier admitted that the biggest challenge is to escort polling parties to their destination and bring them back safely. It seems Naxals have targeted this weakness specifically.
Bastar Lok Sabha seat comprises eight Assembly segments.
"Of the 1 879 polling booths in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, 741 have been marked hyper sensitive. Of the hyper sensitive polling booths, 93 are in Bastar district, 68 in Kondagaon, 71 in Narayanpur, 157 in Dantewada, 129 in Bijapur and 223 in Sukma," the poll official said.
In view of Maoist threat, 289 polling stations were relocated to safer places, he added.
Just days ago, forty Naxals, including three women, had surrendered to the police in Sukma district. They were low rung functionaries of the proscribed outfit and were involved in cases of loot, attempt to murder in areas like Manikonta, Gaganpalli, Kongdam, Mettaguda, and Maraiguda villages of Errabor area.
Seventeen of them had permanent arrest warrants against their names, the official said.
They laid down their arms before Sukma Superintendent of Police D S Maravi at Errabor police station, he said.
"Among those who surrendered, Madvi Hinga was heading the Maoists' so-called revolutionary people's committee. He handed over his muzzle-loading gun to the police," he said.
He termed the surrender of such a large group of Naxals as a big success in the region, especially against the backdrop of the ultras Lok Sabha poll boycott call.
In their statements, they all said they are getting disappointed with the "hollow" Maoist ideology and violence perpetrated by them, Sinha said.
As per figures with the Election Commission, a total of 13,77,946voters, including 6,62,355 men, 7,15,550 women and 41 third gender persons, will be eligible to exercise their franchise in Bastar.
