RAIPUR: An ITBP jawan was killed in a Maoist IED blast while escorting a polling party in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh on the second and final phase of voting in Chhattisgarh on Friday. The state reported a modest turnout of 68% till 5pm, but it was expected to rise.
Police say Maoists triggered an IED explosion in Bade Gobra village of Gariaband, around 100km from Raipur, to target a polling party of 50 officials and security personnel. An area covering nine police stations in Gariaband is the only Maoist-affected area to go to the polls in the second round. Voting got over at 3pm in these parts and the incident took place when the team was returning from the booth after voting was over in Bindranawagarh (ST) constituency.
The polling party had walked 3km from the booth when head constable Joginder Singh stepped on a camouflaged mine and took the full brunt of the blast. No one else got injured, said ASP DS Patel. He was taken to hospital but couldn't be saved. Singh was a native of Jammu & Kashmir.
Reinforcements were rushed to rescue the terror-struck polling officials, who had taken refuge in Mainpur police station, a short distance from the attack site.
Polling started slow in most parts of the 70 constituencies but picked up in the afternoon. Around noon, it stood at 40%. Kurud constituency had the highest turnout of 82.6% at 5p, followed by Kharsia at 81.4% and Sanjari Balod and Pali Tanakhar at 79.3% each. Urban areas had lower turnouts, with Raipur City South at the bottom with 52.1% polling.
Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel cast his vote in Patan, while his deputy T S Singhdeo voted in Ambikapur. State BJP president Arun Sao voted in Lormi constituency, and JCC (J) president Amit Jogi and his mother Renu Jogi, who are contesting from Patan and Kota, voted in Gorela in Marwahi (ST) constituency. Four MPs are among the 958 candidates in the fray.
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