Click to play videoNew Delhi: Polling has been stopped in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh after Naxals opened fire at a polling booth and looted three electronic voting machines.
However, there have been no reports of any casualties.
Following the firing incident, security forces have been sent in to restore order and are on a high alert.
"We have some information of firing in Dantewada. Police party has already reached the spot and it is basically the job of Naxals. Police force is on high alert and we are committed for free and fair elections in the state," Chhattisgarh Inspector General (Intelligence) CM Awasthi said.
Earlier some police officials were suspended as they refused to join poll duty in the Naxal-affected areas of Dantewada.
Meanwhile, violence has also been reported from in Kunda village of Bastar district and some EVMs have also been looted from a booth in the village.
The first phase of polling for Chhattisgarh Assembly began at 0700 hrs IST on Friday.
The Naxal-affected areas of Dantewada, Konta, Bijapur, Chitrakote, Narayanpur, Bhanupratappur, Anagarh, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Kanker started to vote early due to security concerns. Polling in the above-mentioned areas will end at 1500 hrs IST.
However, for the rest of the constituencies in the first phase, polling began at 0800 hrs IST and will end at 1700 hrs IST.
The districts which are voting on Friday are Bastar, Dantewada, Dhamtari, Durg, Kabirdham, Kanker, Mahasamund and Rajnandgaon.
There are 380 candidates in the fray, and approximately 64 lakh voters in the first phase.
Polling for the remaining 51 seats is to be held in the second phase on November 20.
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