Two CRPF jawans killed in Bihar before start of polling

Two CRPF jawans were killed and three others injured when Maoists triggered an explosive, when they were on way to a polling station in Jamui parliamentary constituency of Bihar early morning, police said.

CRPF and Bihar Police team were travelling in two jeeps when the Maoists triggered an IED planted under the bridge they were crossing, near Sawa Lakh Baba Mandir at the entrance of Bhimbandh jungle, DSP Khargpur Ranjan Kumar told PTI.

The two CRPF jawans succumbed to their injuries on way to a hospital while the three other injured were taken to the Sadar Hospital in Munger district, about 170 km from state capital Patna.

The incident took place at around 5:30 am, one and a half hour before the start of polling in Jamui (SC, reserved) constituency.

LJP President Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag Paswan is in the fray from the Jamui parliamentary constituency against Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary of JD (U) and Sudhanshu Shekhar Bhaskar of RJD.

Six parliamentary constituencies of Bihar, including Jamui are going to polls in the first phase of the elections in the state today.

All six -- Jamui, Aurangabad, Sasaram, Gaya, Nawada and Karakat are located in the Naxal-affected areas in the state.

Maoists had earlier given a call for a poll boycott.