Ranchi, Dec 2 (IANS) Maoist rebels targeted a polling team killing one security man in Giridih district Wednesday morning as the second phase of polling for 14 of the 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand began.
“Maoist rebels triggered an IED (improvised explosive device) blast when polling team members were going to the polling booth around 5 a.m. In the blast one security personnel of CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) has been killed. Polling team members were going by foot when the blast took place,” Jharkhand police spokesperson V.H. Deshmukh told IANS.

The blast took place near Teliabahiyar village under Pirtand police station of Giridih district, about 190 km from here.

Due to security reasons, polling hours have been shifted to 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

There are 259 candidates in the fray in the second phase.

Four helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Border Security Force have been pressed into service for heightened surveillance. Around 35,000 security personnel including paratroopers have also been deployed.

The fate of six former ministers, including All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president and former home minister Sudesh Mahto, will be decided in this round of polling. Another key candidate is Masi Charan Munda, 34, a jailed Maoist who is contesting from Khuti constituency on a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ticket.