Chhattisgarh: Encounter breaks out between security forces, Naxals in Kanker

KANKER: Amid the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh, an encounter broke out between the security forces and Naxals in Kanker district on Tuesday.

The encounter broke out between the Border Security Force (BSF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Naxals in the Bande police station area amid the first phase of polling in the state.

The officials informed that AK47 was recovered from the site and a search operation is underway in the area.

Another encounter between DRG and Naxals happened near Panawar at around 1 pm today, according to the officials.

Also, earlier today as the polling was progressing, Naxals fired at DRG personnel deployed near Banda polling station.

Sukma Police said that security forces retaliated, leading to a ten-minute exchange of fire before the Naxals stopped their attack.

The personnel were deployed for duty in the outer cordon around 2 kilometres away from the Banda polling state.

Of the 20 assembly constituencies that voted in today's polls, multiple districts are naxal-infested. Chhattisgarh, which has a 90-member house is undergoing elections in two phases, with the second phase scheduled for November 17.

Of the 20 constituencies that are witnessing polling in the state, 12 are from the Bastar division.

Voting is being held in constituencies that are Naxal-affected and fall in districts like Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Kabeerdham, and Rajnandgaon. 70.87 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in Chhattisgarh in the first phase of polling in 20 assembly seats in the state, according to Election Commission data at 5 pm. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 3.