Before Chhattisgarh went polling today in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections, there have been reports of a blast near a polling booth in Dandwan area of Narayanpur, which counts under the Bastar Lok Sabha seat, at around 4.15 am.

According to reports, security personnel and polling officers were present at the booth at the time of the blast, however no casualties or damage to property have been reported. Post the blast, the area has been put on high alert.

Officials stated that the blast occured in Farasgaon area on Narayanpur-Dandwan road at a time when security personnel were escorting polling personnel to their booth. They suspect Naxals to be behind the incident and the explosive had been planted underground waiting for the security forces to arrive.

Security has been tightened and around 80,000 state and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency where polling is being held in its four Assembly segments – Dantewada, Konta, Bijapur and Narayanpur – from 7 am to 3 pm.