Madenda residents defy Naxal threats, cast votes in C'garh polls

People in Dantewada's Madenda village cast their votes even after threats from Naxals, who had warned them of losing their fingers if an ink mark is seen on them. Defying threats, as many as 263 voters came out of their houses to cast their votes on Monday.

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) official told the media, "After Nilwaya Naxal attack, the challenges have multiplied manifold. Naxals had threatened villagers with dire consequences if they go for casting votes. We assured the villagers of a secure environment, put in place a three-level security so that people can vote without fear."

Earlier in the day on Monday, a 100-year-old woman, Viswas, cast her vote at a polling station in Dornapal district. The old woman was helped by her son as she visited the polling booth set up near her house. The woman was visibly fragile, but it did not stop her from exercising her right to franchise.

The first phase of Assembly elections began on Monday in Chhattisgarh where 18 seats went to polls, out of which 12 are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes, while one is a Scheduled Caste-reserved seat. In the first phase of the polling, over 31 lakh voters were slated to exercise their franchise to choose their representatives from 190 candidates. The remaining 72 constituencies in the state will go to polls on November 20. The result of the assembly polls will be announced on December 11.