Chhattisgarh 65.29 pc voter turnout in Bastar CRPF man killed officer injured in 2 incidents

Raipur/Jagdalpur, Apr 19 (PTI) A voter turnout of 65.29 per cent was recorded in the Lok Sabha polls in Naxal-hit Bastar in Chhattisgarh on Friday, which saw the death of a CRPF jawan after a grenade accidentally went off and injury to an officer in an IED blast, officials said.
However, the turnout figure may go up as final data from several booths was yet to arrive, they said.
The voter turnout in the vast constituency stood at 66.04 per cent in 2019.
"A provisional voter turnout of 65.29 per cent turnout was recorded but the figure may go up as final data from several booths was yet to come in," the official said.
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan deployed on security duty was killed when a shell of an under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) accidentally exploded in Galgam village under Usoor police station limits in Bijapur district, they said.

The incident took place when security personnel were out on an area domination exercise near a polling booth, they added.

"Constable Devendra Kumar, belonging to CRPF's 196th battalion, suffered serious injuries in the blast and was airlifted to Jagdalpur but he died during treatment," they said.

In another incident this time, an assistant commandant of the CRPF was injured when a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites exploded in the Bhairamgarh police station area of Bijapur district, police said.

The explosion occurred near Chihka polling booth under Bhairamgarh police station limits when a team of security personnel was out on an area domination operation in the area in view of polling.

During the exercise, Manu HC, an assistant commandant belonging to the CRPF's 62nd battalion, came in contact with the pressure IED, triggering a blast that caused injuries on his left leg and hand, he said.
Polling in booths of Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Chitrakot, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta assembly constituencies and 72 centres in the Jagdalpur assembly segment under the Bastar Lok Sabha seat ended at 3 pm, he said.
In booths of the Bastar assembly constituency and 175 centres of the Jagdalpur assembly constituency, polling was held from 7 am to 5 pm, the official said.
At least 60,000 state and paramilitary personnel were deployed across the constituency to ensure peaceful polling.
Residents of 56 villages cast their vote in polling booths set up in their own village for the first time in Lok Sabha elections, he informed.
Talking to PTI, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P said the preliminary task of general election in Bastar seat had concluded peacefully and systematically and now the focus is to complete the rest of the task related to de-induction of the security forces and polling parties in a safe manner.
Maximum polling teams have returned to the strong rooms in their respective district headquarters and remaining parties are expected to reach subsequently, he said.
Except for two unfortunate incidents in Bijapur, there was no major untoward incident during the first phase of elections, he said.
"Synchronised efforts by local administration, state police, Central Armed Police Forces and forces from neighbouring states have culminated in peaceful general elections in Bastar", he said.
In this "ballot versus bullet" fight, ultimately the ballot would emerge successful, meaningful and powerful, the IG said.
"Despite repeated boycott and threat calls issued by Maoists, there was a lot of enthusiasm and commitment among the people of Bastar, who turned out in huge numbers at polling stations," said the senior IPS officer.
According to police, in the 2023 assembly elections, four encounters took place in eight assembly segments that are part of Bastar Lok Sabha seat, resulting in injuries to four security personnel.
A newly married couple, Devesh Thakur and Gangotri Thakur, was the cynosure of all eyes as they came to vote at Guriya booth in Naraynapur district in their wedding attire.
Defying a poll boycott call by Naxalites in remote Chandameta in Bastar district, villagers were seen queuing up to cast their votes in the polling booth there.
The Balud polling booth in Dantewada district sported the theme of environment conservation, with officials giving away saplings to voters to create awareness about conservation.
Altogether 14,72,207 voters, comprising 7,71,679 women, 7,00,476 men and 52 transgenders, were eligible to exercise their franchise in the seat where 11 candidates were in the fray.
As many as 1,961 polling booths were set up in the constituency, 61 of which have been categorised as "vulnerable" and 196 as "critical", officials said.
The main fight was between firebrand Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma and BJP candidate Mahesh Kashyap, a fresh face. The Congress had won from Bastar in 2019.
The remaining 10 seats in Chhattisgarh will vote in the second phase (April 26) and the third phase (May 7).

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)