Barring a few incidents, polling was held peacefully in the Maoist heartland of Bastar on Thursday. The heavy deployment of police force spoiled the Naxal plans to disrupt the elections.
In Narayanpur district, the voting was largely peaceful. “About 12 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) were recovered from the district. The police team which recovered the explosives from the dense forested patch of the district destroyed them,” informed Superintendent of Police, Narayanpur, Amit Kamble. Due to the non-availability of bomb disposal unit (BDS), the bombs were destroyed on the spot. He also informed that all the polling parties had returned safe. Security forces had a brief gun battle with Maoists near village Sulenga, under Jhara police station.
The ultras also triggered a blast about 2 km away from Nednar polling centre which caused no damages.
In Sukma, a police jawan was injured in a blast, triggered through pressure mines planted by the Maoists at Gadiras. The police jawan was a part of the team which was escorting a polling party to Sukma. After the blast, the jawans took position and gave a strong reply to the Maoists, following which the Maoists had to flee, informed Additional Superintendent of Police, Sukma. The injured jawan Raju Almi of district force was airlifted to Raipur.
In Korra area of Gadiras Naxals fired a few rounds of bullets on the police party. Similarly, in Kankapal of Tongpal the police and the Naxals had an exchange of fire. In polling booth at village Banda under Konta police station, the Naxals had opened fire, but no one was injured.
In Dhanikaran village of Kuakonda police station, Dantewada, the Naxals fired a few rounds. Nothing untoward happened and everything was peaceful, claimed SP, Dantewada, Narendra Khare.
In Kondagon, the Naxals triggered a blast and also opened gun fire on security force deployed near Mardapal police station. Police force retaliated with heavy gun fire following which the Naxals ran away. Near the polling booth in Rengagondi village under Bayanara police station, the insurgents busted fire crackers about 500 metres from the booth for interrupting the voting but their strategy eventually failed.
In Bastar district, the red rebels opened fire on Mardum police station and Arpund polling booth. However, no one was injured.