Naxals trigger IED blast near polling booth in Maharashtra, no injuries reported

Mumbai: Naxals triggered an IED blast near a polling booth in Maharashtra's Gadchroli district Thursday while voting was underway, police said.

The IED (improvised explosive device) blast took place around 10.30 am in Waghezari area, around 150 metres from the polling booth where people were standing in queues to cast their votes for the Lok Sabha election, an official said. No casualty was reported in the incident, he said.

On Wednesday, Naxals denoted an IED at Gatta Jambia village in Etapalli tehsil of the district when a polling party was moving towards polling stations under protection of a police party and CRPF personnel.

A CRPF jawan was injured in the incident. The official said Naxals were trying to disrupt the poll process and create panic among villagers, who came out in large numbers to vote on Thursday.

Gadchiroli is among the seven seats where polling is underway during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.