JOIN USThe fate of Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and former Kerala governor Nikhil Kumar was sealed on Thursday after the first phase of polling in Bihar’s six Lok Sabha constituencies amid sporadic violence in Maoist-infested areas.
An hour before the voting started, two central paramilitary personnel were killed while six others seriously wounded when the Maoists exploded an IED (improvised explosive device) near Bhim bandh at Haveli Kharagpur in Munger at 5.30 am.
The CRPF men, who were supposed to join poll duty in neighbouring Jamui constituency, were on their way from Munger to Jamui when the IED exploded near Kandani forest, a hideout of the Maoists.
Bihar DGP Abhayanand, who confirmed the deaths of CRPF personnel, said those injured were being provided the best possible medical assistance. Meanwhile, polling was deferred at 22 booths in Jamui due to security reasons. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan’s son Chirag Paswan is pitted against JD(U) candidate and Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary in Jamui.