Bijapur, Nov 11(PTI): A Maoist was gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday morning, a day ahead of polling in the region for the state Assembly polls.

A set of six IEDs were planted in a series and were set off in one go. The exchange of fire took place at a forest in Bedre area when a team of the Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official said.

BSF officer Mahinder Singh, who was earlier injured, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

As per the ground report, a body of a Naxal clad in 'uniform' and a rifle was recovered from the spot, located around 450 km from here, he said.

Further details are awaited as the search operation was still underway, he added.

Security has been heightened in seven districts of Bastar division and Rajnandgaon district which go to polls in the first phase tomorrow.

Around one lakh security personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth conduct of elections. Naxalites have asked voters to boycott the polls.

The 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 12 and 20 -- and the results will be announced on December 11.

The first phase of polls will cover 18 constituencies of eight Naxal-affected districts that include Bastar, Kanker, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon.