India Elec 09: Naxals kills 17on opening election day

Polling for the first phase of elections to Lok Sabha began on a violent note with Naxals striking in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and

Bihar killing nine people even as voters trickled in at ballot booths across 17 states and union territories.

As soon as the polling began in Jharkhand, Naxals struck a BSF bus, killing seven persons, including five BSF personnel, in Latehar district.


The bus ferrying the BSF personnel was blown by the landmine blast triggered by the Maoists at around 7.30 am killing five BSF personnel, one helper and the civilian driver, the DC said.

A homeguard and a police personnel on poll duty was shot dead and another injured by Naxals in Singhpur village under Banke Bazaar police station in Gaya district, police said. Two other police personnel were missing.

Naxalites also attacked polling booths in Dantewada and Narainpur regions in Chhattisgarh, triggering IED blasts and exchanging fire with security forces as polling began in the state.

The Naxals struck at Maroki, Mangnar and Jangampal in Dantewada area, about 350 kms from Raipur and in Nernar, Sonapal and Karmari in Narainpur region, around 250 kms from the Chhattisgarh capital.

Voting began on a moderate note in 124 constituencies spread across 15 states and two union territories during which the fate of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha and TRS president K Chandrasekar Rao will be decided.