When the mine-protected-vehicle (MPV) carrying six personnel was around one km away from the camp, ultras triggered a powerful land mine blast, Garg said. "Four paramilitary personnel were killed and two others were injured in the blast," he said. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot immediately and the injured personnel were being evacuated, the official said, adding they were retrieving the bodies from the site.
The massive attack by naxals took place weeks ahead of the much crucial Assembly elections in Bijapur and other Moaist-affected regions of Chhattisgarh. The state is scheduled to go for polls in two phases on November 12 and November 20. On October 26, Chief Minister Raman Singh launched the ruling BJP's campaign for the first phase of polls on November 12 in neighbouring Sukma district.
The first phase of election will cover 18 constituencies in eight Naxal-affected districts – Bastar, Kanker, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon. Naxals had recently put up posters in parts of Bastar region calling for boycott of the polls.