An encounter is underway in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur between security forces and Maoists (Representational)
An encounter is underway in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur between security forces and Maoists. News agency ANI has reported that one Maoist has been killed in the ambush while one has been held. Security forces have also recovered arms and ammunition from the Maoists even as the operation continues. A fierce gunfight broke out between the security forces and Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Antagarh village after the Maoists triggered at least seven explosions, a day before voting begins for the assembly election. A jawan was killed when an improvised explosive device or IED exploded during the encounter.
Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 11. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 49 seats, the Congress 39, the BSP 1 and Independent 1.
Here are the UPDATES of the encounter in Chhattisgarh:
In Chhattisgarh's Antagarh village of Kanker district, a BSF soldier has died after an improvised explosive device or IED exploded during an encounter with Maoists. The IEDs were planted in a series and were set off in one go in Koyali Beda.
Bijapur is one of the 18 constituencies of eight Maoist-affected districts that goes to the first phase of Chhattisgarh polls tomorrow. The other include Bastar, Kanker, Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon.
In a separate incident, a Border Security Force personnel has been
injured when Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattigsarh's Kanker district today. This is the fourth IED blast triggered by Maoists in Chhattisgarh in the last 15 days. "BSF personnel Mahinder Singh was injured in an IED blast in Kanker's Koyali beda. He has been airlifted to Raipur. The situation in the area is normal now. Security forces are conducting search operation in the area," senior police officer in Raipur P Sundaraj told news agency ANI.
As Chhattisgarh goes to its first phase of polls tomorrow, around one lakh security personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth conduct of elections even as Maoists have asked voters to boycott the assembly elections.
The exchange of fire in Bijapur took place at a forest in Bedre area when a team of the Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Maoist operation, news agency PTI quoted a senior police officer. A body of a Maoist clad in "uniform" and a rifle were reportedly recovered from the spot.
The encounter come just a day before the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh.
Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 11. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 49 seats, the Congress 39, the BSP 1 and Independent 1.
A set of 6 IEDs were planted in a series and were set off in one go between village Gome and Gattakal in Koyali beda, news agency ANI said.
A senior police officer said a BSF team came under attack when it was patrolling the area. A BSF jawan has sustained injuries in the blast.
The encounter is taking place in Antagarh village in Kanker district, 175 km from state's capital Raipur.