IED blast in Naxal-hit Gadchiroli on poll eve

A security personnel from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was injured in a suspected case of Naxal attack on the eve of Lok Sabha polls in Gadchiroli district on Wednesday.

An IED blast took place in the Gatta-Ettapalli stretch in the Maoist-affected Gadchiroli district, injuring the official. The injured official is a sub-inspector. He was a part of the 191 battalion of CRPF and was deployed on polling security duties, reports said.

The incident took place around 4 pm. Helicopters were deployed to evacuate the injured. "The injured personnel sustained grievous injuries on his limbs and his condition was described critical," officials said.

The attack comes a day after the Naxal attack in Dantewada in Bastar region of Chhatisgarh in which a BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi and four security personnel including were killed.

Around a week ago in Gadchiroli's Korachi area, Naxals had put up poll boycott posters. However, villagers from Kochinara, Butekasa and Satputi areas protested and burnt those posters.