LS polls: Moderate to high turnout in eastern states

Moderate to high turnout was today recorded in first four hours of voting in Lok Sabha polls in Bihar, Jharkhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and 70 Assembly constituencies in Odisha.

While a high 30% polling was registered in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, between 15 and 20% was recorded in Odisha, 15% in Bihar and 14% in Jharkhand.

Elections in Naxal-hit states began on a violent note.

In Bihar, two CRPF personnel were killed and seven injured when Maoists detonated a landmine targeting two jeeps near Sawa Lakh Baba Mandir at the entrance of Bhimbandh jungle in Jamui Parliamentary constituency in Munger district at 5:30 AM, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Khargpur, Ranjan Kumar told PTI.

The CRPF personnel killed in the blast were identified as head constable Ravindra Rai and constable Sone Gora, Kumar said.

The seven injured were admitted to the Bhagalpur hospital, he said.

In Gaya the police seized and defused six can bombs weighing 30 kg each from Banke Bazar area under Imamganj Assembly segment, which is part of Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat, Gaya senior superintendent of police Nishant Tiwari said.

In Jharkhand, Maoists exploded a series of landmines in the forests of Latehar district and exchanged gunfire with security personnel before polling began in the Chatra Lok Sabha seat, but there was no casualty, Latehar Superintendent of Police Michael S Raj told PTI.

In Odisha, suspected Maoists pulled out polling personnel from a vehicle in Mathili area in Malkangiri and burnt four EVMs meant for four booths late last night, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Akhileswar Singh said.