Indian security personnel assist an elderly woman heading to vote during local elections in Sukma, part of Chhattisgarh state where Maoist insurgents operate, on November 12, 2018 (-)

New Delhi (AFP) – Maoist rebels opened fire on Indian police late Saturday, killing two constables and wounding a villager, the police said.

They were attacked while riding a motorcycle in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh state, the Press Trust of India said, citing a police deputy inspector.

One constable and an assistant constable died at the scene and the villager, shot in the chest, was taken by local residents for treatment, he said.

A roadside bomb attack on a political convoy in early April killed five people in Chhattisgarh, two days before voting began in India’s national election which runs until May 19.

The blast killed a state assembly lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, his driver and three state bodyguards.

Rebels often call for a boycott of elections as part of their campaign against the Indian state. 

A rebel ambush last October in Chhattisgarh killed a journalist and two police officers, ahead of local polls.

Indian forces have been fighting Maoists for decades in the mineral-rich central state.

The Maoists are believed to be present in at least 20 other Indian states but are most active in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. 

Their insurgency has left tens of thousands dead.

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.