In Bihar's Jamui district, two jawans were instantly killed, while four others are battling for their lives after a Naxal attack.
Just as polling started in 10 Naxal-affected Lok Sabha seats across Bihar and Jharkhand, Naxals triggered an explosive in Bihar's Jamui district. Their target was the group of CRPF jawans who were on their way to a polling station. Two jawans were instantly killed, while four others are battling for their lives.
Constable Ajay Yadav, who was part of the 100-odd member CRPF battalion that was ambushed, said, "We were moving on foot towards a polling station when we were ambushed. The Naxals blasted a landmine, and in the firing and counter-firing that went on for 45 minutes, hundreds of rounds were fired from both sides."
Despite the heavy security blanket over these volatile areas, violence or rather several attempts were made to interrupt the electoral process. In Gaya, a 25 kg bomb was discovered beneath a bridge and diffused. In Aurangabad, three bombs were recovered very close to a polling station.
However, in other parts such as Sasaram, voting was brisk. The recurring theme in the family bastion of Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar was development.
Kabir Miyan who has been a voter for 40 years now - said that he continues to vote because, "There hasn't been too much development in the area but I feel vote is a democratic right and one should exercise it."
In the run up to the election, this high-profile constituency witnessed a high-voltage campaign. Be it Meira Kumar, who's eyeing a hat-trick on a Congress ticket, or her opponent, former bureaucrat KP Ramaiah of the JDU, or BJP's Cheddi Paswan.
Meira Kumar told NDTV, "I am not nervous at all. Campaigning is always tough, no matter how seasoned you are. It's all about winning the trust and the confidence of the people."
Mr Ramaiah said, "It is tougher being a politician. In bureaucracy, you have an organised way of doing things. In politics, you have to look after the demands of 100's of people "