JEYPORE/BHAWANIPATNA: Braving the Naxal threat and amid tight security measures, voters in Maoist-infested areas of Koraput and Kalahandi districts turned up in record numbers during the fourth phase polling on Tuesday.
In Maoist-affected Trilochanpur panchayat under Lanjigarh in Kalahandi, which is inhabited by particularly vulnerable tribal group Dongria Kondh, voters exercised their franchise for the first time after two decades. The panchayat was formed in 2002 but as per tribal tradition, villagers were selecting candidates for sarpanch, ward, and Samiti member posts.
DIG, South Western Range Rajesh Pandit visited Trilochanpur and reviewed the security arrangements. He also held discussions with voters on the security situation on the day. Similarly, polling in Naxal-hit areas of Bhawanipatna and Lanjigarh blocks remained peaceful on the day.
While Lanjigarh witnessed 80.65 per cent polling, Bhawanipatna recorded a voter turnout of 80 per cent.
Polling in Maoist-hit Narayanpatana of Koraput was incident-free as over 77 per cent voter turnout was recorded across the block. From the morning hours, voters - especially women - were found making a beeline for polling booths in Balipeta, Bijaghati, Borigi, Kumbhari, Langalbeda, Podapadar, Talagumandi and Tentulipadar areas.
Voting was held in 105 booths in the block for one zilla parishad (ZP) seat, nine samiti member, as many sarpanch,es and 105 ward member posts. At least five platoons of police force besides BSF, DVF, and IRB personnel were deployed at the booths marked as sensitive. A combing operation was also carried out in bordering Laxmipur, Bandhugaon and Rayagada.
Sources said all the polling parties returned to Narayanpatana block headquarters with ballot boxes safely after the voting process ended. Koraput SP Varun Guntupalli said not a single untoward incident was reported from any booth.
"Voting was peaceful in Maoist-infested Narayanpatana and other two blocks of Dasmantpur and Kotpad amid heavy security arrangements,” he added.