Maoist killed in encounter with STF ahead of polls in Chhattisgarh

 A Maoist was gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattigarh’s Bijapur district on Sunday morning, a day ahead of polling in the region for the State Assembly polls.

The exchange of fire took place at a forest in Bedre area when a team of the Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official told PTI. As per the ground report, a body of a Naxal clad in ‘uniform’ and a rifle were recovered from the spot, located around 450 km from here, he said. Further details are awaited as the search operation was still underway, he added.

Security has been heightened in seven districts of Bastar division and Rajnandgaon district which go to polls in the first phase on Monday. Around one lakh security personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth conduct of elections.

Maoists have asked voters to boycott the polls. The 90-member chhattisgarh Assembly will go to polls in two phases -- on November 12 and 20 -- and the results will be announced on December 11.

The first phase of polls will cover 18 constituencies of eight Maoist-affected districts that include Bastar, Kanker, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon.