Team News Riveting
Jagdalpur, November 8
As many as 25 polling parties were stuck in the interior areas of Bastar region after conducting the polling in the Maoists-infested pockets in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
Chhattisgarh went to the first phase of polling on Tuesday. Besides the 12 assembly constituencies in Bastar, polling was conducted in 20 assembly constituencies of the 90 in the state.
Many polling booths in the Bijapur district were hyper sensitive and polling parties were dropped by Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers. In the Maoists infested constituencies, polling was conducted till 3 pm so as the facilitate the return of parties.
According to officials, the IAF choppers yesterday evacuated the presiding officers and electronic voting machines (EVMs) from the interior areas. However, because of dusk, the choppers did not take sorties that left the polling parties held in the area.
The IAF choppers on Wednesday reportedly denied and did not fly to evacuate the other polling parties from the spot. The reason could not be known as neither IAF nor Election Commission of India spokesperson could be contacted.
Though the exact number could not be known, over 100 polling employees were reportedly stuck in the interior areas. In all, 25 polling parties had not returned to the headquarters till Wednesday evening.
On the polling day, rebels had tried to create terror by resorting to violence at different places. Two jawans were injured while over half a dozen Maoists were also killed. The visuals captured in the drone camera of the soldiers showed Maoists carrying the injured and killed comrades on their shoulders.
The security forces have inputs that frustrated with the failure to inflict major casualties, Maoists had laid ambush at many points to target the returning police parties. However, the security forces are on high alert.
Bijapur Superintendent of Police Aanjneya Varshney told reporters that it was a challenge to bring back the parties from the interior areas. “It is on top priority and will be accomplished at the earliest,” he added.
The polling parties stuck are completely safe, the officials said, adding that they have been shifted to the nearest police station and camps of paramilitary forces.
