Chhattisgarh: Naxals torch vehicles, kill contractor in Dantewada

In yet another incident of violence, Naxals killed a contractor and torched vehicles used in road construction in this village in Dantewada district on Thursday. This comes few days prior to the second phase of assembly elections due on November 20.

The incident took place a day after five security personnel and one civilian were injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Bijapur district. The injured included four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and one District Reserve Guard (DRG).

Earlier on Monday, two Naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces, just a few hours after the conclusion of voting for the first phase of assembly elections.

In another incident, three CoBRA personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) suffered bullet wounds in a gun battle with Naxals in Majiguda village.

Although the first phase of voting in the state was conducted smoothly witnessing a significant voter turnout, voters of a village in Dantewada district were seen removing the indelible ink from their fingers fearing the wrath of Naxals. Apparently Naxals near the Indrawati river of Dantewada had threatened to chop off the fingers of villagers if they cast their votes.

In the first phase of polls, 12 constituencies out of 18 were security sensitive.