New Delhi: A CRPF jawan was wounded in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) explosion set off by Naxals in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. The jawan, who belonged to the CoBRA 206 Battalion of the CRPF, was on election duty in the Tondamarka area when the blast occurred, said Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan.


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The incident took place on the day when the first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls began for 20 seats in the state’s southern region. The state, which has a 90-member house, is going to polls in two phases, with the second phase slated for November 17.


Out of the 20 seats that are polling in the first phase, 12 are from the Bastar division, which is affected by Naxal violence. The polling is also taking place in other Naxal-hit districts such as Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Kabeerdham, and Rajnandgaon.


To ensure free and fair elections in the state, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to assist the local police force in the state. Kanker Collector Priyanka Shukla said, “This time, we have made tight security arrangements in the most Naxal-affected areas, and we are also using drones to monitor some polling centres.”


The Election Commission of India (ECI) has also directed that there should be randomization of police personnel and home guards who are deployed at the polling stations on the poll day. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 3.