Naxals strike on eve of Chhattisgarh polling

Two Indo-Tibetan Border Patrol jawans were injured in a blast triggered by Naxals in the Maoist-hit Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh on the eve of the first phase of Assembly elections, police said.

"The incident occurred this afternoon near Baldongri village under Aundhi police station, located around 125 km from Rajnandgaon district headquarters, when a polling party was heading towards its destination," Rajnandgaon SP Sanjeev Shukla said.

The polling party was on its way to Baldongri booth when Naxals set off a low-intensity IED blast near a rivulet, leaving two ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) personnel injured, he told PTI.

"The jawans were provided primary treatment at a local health centre and are being brought to the Rajnangdaon headquarters," he said, adding the polling staff reached their destination safely.

18 constituencies of Naxal-affected Bastar and Rajnandgaon districts are going to polls on Monday.

The troopers, two of whom sustained splinter injuries, took immediate positions and because of their movement in 'Y' pattern there was no casualty.

"Due to their alertness the troops were able to combat the blast which was carried out by an IED weighing about 15 kg," a senior official said.

Both the troopers are out of danger and they have been shifted to a nearby healthcare centre.

The polling booth has been taken over by security personnel.