India: News on the Elections Boycott Campaign
Featured image: Explosion of an IED. Source: NDTV
A head constable of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was killed by an explosive planted by Maoists in Gariaband, Chhattisgarh on the 17th of November. The head constable was escorting a team of electoral officials returning from the voting booths. This action is part of the election boycott campaign led by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in multiple federal States. In addition, a number of encounters were reported in Sukma, Narayanpur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh ahead of the elections. The election boycott campaign has led to serious disturbances for the election circus of the ruling classes, as we have reported earlier. Gariaband, where the explosion happened, was one of the places where the opening times of the voting booths were limited due to security concerns. 17th of November was the second phase of the voting in Chhattisgarh.
An improvised explosive device blast also killed a CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) officer in the neighboring State Jharkhand, and injured two others on the 17th of November. The paramilitaries were carrying out an anti-Maoist operation in the forest of the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
On the 16th of November it was reported that a police informant was executed by Maoists in Gadchiroli in the State of Maharashtra. The execution took place a day after the visit of Chief Minister of Maharashtra visited the area as part of government plan to combat the People’s War through pacifying economic and social programs rather than just military means.
In a forest of the Kannur district of Kerala, an exchange of fire between Maoists and the Thunderbolt squad, a specialized unit of the Kerala police, occurred on the 13th of November. It was reported that sounds of gunfire were heard from the forest for around two hours. No casualties were reported on either side. The police and paramilitaries have been deployed in large numbers in the area as part of a ”security blanket” operation.
