Even as first-phase voting commenced in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, a CRPF officer was injured when an IED exploded in this restive district of Leftwing extremism-affected Bastar division.

Confirming the incident, SP Kiran Chauhan said, “A detachment of the Force’s 206th Commando Battalion for Resolute Action had left Camp Tondamarka and was heading for Elmagunda village for executing an area domination exercise. Inspector Shrikant stepped on the landmine. He has been hospitalised.”

The Naxals have issued a poll boycott call.

(With UNI Inputs)