Killing spree by Maoists in Dantewada

Dantewada: At least five people, including a security personnel, were killed after Maoists triggered an explosion in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district today, just four days before the insurgency-hit area is expected to vote for state elections.

A soldier of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and four civilians were killed when a bomb exploded and destroyed a bus. The civilians killed included the driver, conductor and cleaner of the bus, a police officer told news agency PTI.

The incident comes just a day before Prime Minister Narendra is expected to visit nearby town of Jagdalpur.

Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Chhattisgarh next week in two phases on November 12 and November 20 and the CISF unit was posted to maintain law and order.

The first phase is to be held in the Maoist-affected constituencies of Bastar region that falls in the southern part of the central Indian state.

Just eight days ago, two Chhattisgarh police personnel and a Doordarshan cameraperson were killed in a Maoist attack in Aranpur village of Dantewada district.