Maoist violence mars first day of Indian polls

In a well coordinated action spanning five states, over 700 armed Maoist rebels killed 19 people and disrupted polling on the first day of India's general election, local papers reported.

The violence was unleashed despite the presence of over 50,000 security personnel.Though only 71 of 76,000 polling booths actually suffered attacks, the violence succeeded in keeping voters away from polling stations in almost all Maoist-affected parliamentary constituencies in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra, according to the Times of India.

As Mao himself said, "Political power grows from the barrel of the gun."

http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/india/090416/maoist-violence-mars-first-day-indian-polls