Maoists Bomb Election Candidates' Offices in India

Polls to the Jharkhand state legislature are conducted in five phases. Three stages have already been completed and polling for the last two phases will be held on December 12 and 18.

To protest the ongoing polls, Maoists allegedly, on Wednesday, set posters and banners on fire of candidates and bombed their makeshift offices. The suspected rebels also burned candidates’ vehicles.

Reports say that the office of Ranjan Yadav, a former Maoist running from jail, was among those attacked.

[Ramesh Singh, Local]:
"They came around 8 in the night and burned jeeps and two wheelers."

Videsh Singh, a former lawmaker and an independent candidate, warns more violence may occur.

[Videsh Singh, Independent Candidate]:
"The law and order situation has turned from bad to worse here. Though the election commission has claimed that they will conduct a peaceful election but I feel that in Palamau district in Jharkhand that is not possible. This is a kind of a challenge for the Election Commission and they must take the matter into consideration else more devastating things would happen during December 18 polls."

The counting of votes and the results will be announced on December 23rd.