Chhattisgarh witnesses 14 security forces-Naxal encounters on poll day

NEW DELHI: As the first phase of polls got over in Naxal hit areas of Chhattisgarh, a total of fourteen encounters between security forces and Naxalite groups took place today in which a CRPF personnel was killed.

Security officials monitoring polls in the Naxal hit areas said a total of 78 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were recovered by the CRPF and state police forces from these Naxal hotbeds spread in 18 constituencies of Bastar and Rajnandgaon during the last three days.

"In all, fourteen big and small encounters took place in Chhattisgarh today. One CRPF trooper was killed in Dantewada who was deployed for poll duties," a senior security official said.

The encounters included landmine blasts and exchange of gunfire, the official said.

The Election Commission in Delhi said that 67 per cent turnout was witnessed in the first phase of Assembly polls in eight Naxal-hit districts in Chhattisgarh.

Some of the forces, according to officials, will now be mobilised to be deployed in other parts of the state which will vote in the second phase on November 19.