The Maoists struck on the eve of second phase election in Odisha, killing a woman poll official and setting ablaze two poll vehicles and a motorbike on way to booths on Wednesday, police said.
Both the incidents occurred at separate places of Maoist affected Kandhamal district where the Maoists had asked the people to boycott the elections.
The ultras gunned down Sector Officer Sanjukta Digal when she was taking a team of poll personnel to a booth, while passing through a jungle near Balandapada village under Gochhapada police station limits, DGP B K Sharma told PTI. police said. She was an officer of the state panchayat department.
Other four polling personnel were in the vehicle and they were unhurt.
In another incident, the red rebels set ablaze two vehicles and a motorbike carrying election officials to a polling station in a village in remote Phiringia police station area.
Police suspect that the KKBN (Kalahandi-Kandhamal- Boudh-Nayagarh) division of the CPI(Maoist) was involved in both the incidents.
The Election Commission has limited the polling time from 7 am to 4 pm in seven assembly segments in it. The police have now set up a Command Centres for smooth conduct of voting on Thursday.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks