Two troopers killed in Bihar blast

Two troopers were killed Thursday in a landmine blast in Bihar where enthusiastic voters ignored a boycott call by Maoists and queued up outside polling booths in six parliamentary constituencies.

The two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed in the landmine blast in Munger district when they were on way to a polling station in neighbouring Jamui parliamentary constituency.

The blast was triggered by rebels near Sawa Lakh Baba Mandir close to Bhimbandh forest in Munger, about 175 km from here.

"Maoists targeted a police vehicle in which CRPF and Bihar Police official were going to conduct polls in Jamui. The incident took place nearly over an hour before the start of polling," a district police official said.

Additional Director General of Police Ravinder Kumar confirmed the incident and said that injured security personnel were admitted to hospital without delay.

Security forces have also recovered two "cane bombs" in Gaya parliamentary constituency.

The six constituencies that went to polls Thursday have 80 candidates, including 10 women, in the fray.

Prominent candidates include Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary, former Kerala governor and Delhi Police chief Nikhil Kumar, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag Paswan, and former union minister Kanti Singh.

Ignoring a boycott call by Maoists, enthusiastic voters queued up outside polling booths in urban as well as in rural areas since morning.

A little over 94 lakh voters are eligible to vote.

Bihar Chief Secretary A.K. Sinha said that tight security arrangements had been made for the polls.