Left-wing extremism claimed the lives of 19 persons in the first phase of polling. Naxalites triggered blasts and shot dead security personnel in four states in the country.
The scale of Naxal violence was unprecedented and the Maoists almost threw a direct challenge to the might of the government, on the day the first phase of polling took place.
In Jharkhand's Latehar, a landmine blast hit a bus causing the death of five personnel and two passengers. The incident occurred just after voting had begun in the morning.
Polling booths were set afire, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) taken away and CRPF personnel fired at in Narayanpur and Dantewada in Naxal-infested Chhattisgarh. IED blasts were reported from several places.
The policemen exchanged fire with Naxalites and one jawan was killed. Maoist violence was reported from parts of Orissa, Bihar and Maharashtra also. As many as 124 constituencies in 17 states had gone to polls on Thursday. Nearly 60% electorate exercised their franchise.
TIH Bureau
Popular stories
-
"The burning of Sabarmati Express at Godhra was a pre-planned conspiracy", claim leaders of Patel agitation. They have alleged... -
Hundreds of residents, activists and local politicians burnt the copies of the Hindi newspaper Navbharat Times today. They were upset w... -
If a Hindu girl can wear bindi or mangal sutra and a Christian can have a cross dangling by neck, can't a Muslim student cover her ... -
The sight of a lemon and green chillies that were strung together and hanging at the Congress' convention surprised the guests and th... -
Arun Gawli In a landmark judgment, a MCOCA court in Mumbai has convicted underworld don Arun Gawali along with eleven others for a case ...