Raipur, Nov 11

A trooper was injured in a massive explosion in Kanker district where voting is on in the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections, police said Monday.

The Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was injured in the bomb blast in Kanker district while in Bijapur, a bomb weighing about 10 kg was recovered.

Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers clashed in Jagdalpur and Konta assembly seats. Congress candidate from Jagdalpur seat Samu Kashyap was injured in the clash with BJP activists and was taken to hospital.

Maoists disrupted voting in forest areas at nine polling booths under Bijapur, Sukma, Konta and Antagarh assembly constituencies.

Polling began for 13 seats at sharp 7 a.m. while for five seats it started at 8 a.m. 

The voting for seats where polling began at 7 a.m. will conclude at 3 p.m. so that polling officials can return safely from Maoist areas by sunset. 

By:IANS