Naxalites attack booth in Orissa, clash with BSF

Naxalites belonging to People's War clashed with BSF personnel and attacked a polling booth at Kormakur in Malkangiri dist.

Naxalites belonging to People's War clashed with BSF personnel and attacked a polling booth at Kormakur in Orissa's Malkangiri district on the Orissa-Andhra border, destroying an electronic voting machine today.

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Director-General of Police N C Padhi told PTI here that the armed ultras numbering about 25, crossed the border from Andhra Pradesh and attacked the booth. They also destroyed the EVM before escaping.

Asked whether they were challenged by the security forces, the DGP said that security personnel on patrol were outnumbered by the ultras.

No one was injured in the incident, the DGP said.

He said that the polling booth was located in an isolated part in Malkangiri.

Earlier, PW men fired on a BSF patrol at Sudhakhunta also in Malkangiri.

The DGP said that the naxalites ensconced on the upper reaches tried to divert the BSF personnel to attack a booth there but the border guards retaliated, There was, however, no casualty.