Naxal killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh on polling day

A Naxal was killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on the day of polling for the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday, police said.

The encounter took place in the restive Orchha area of the district when ultras attacked a team of security forces guarding a helipad, Director General (Anti-Naxal Operation) Girdhari Nayak told PTI.

Firing on security forces by the rebels triggered the gunbattle, which left one Naxal dead, he said.

The ultras later escaped from the spot, from where the Naxal's body was recovered, Nayak said.

A combing operation was underway in the area, around 300 km from state capital Raipur, the IPS officer said.

The Naraynpur assembly segment falls in the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency where polling was held Thursday.

Voting in the assembly segment ended at 3 pm after which polling personnel from interior pockets were airlifted to Naraynpur town by helicopters.