From correspondents in Jharkhand, India, 02:03 PM IST

Maoist guerrillas blew up the house of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter in Chatra district of Jharkhand, police said Saturday.

The rebels belonging to outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) late Friday raided Jogiara village of Chatra, around 190 km from Ranchi.

'The Maoists asked the family members of BJP supporter Santosh Singh to evacuate the house. Then they blew up the house by using detonators. Singh was not at home,' a police officer said.

The officer said the guerrillas took away household items with them.

'CPI-Maoist rebels blew up the house terming Singh a supporter of rival Maoist organisation Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC),' the officer added.

Chatra will go to the polls Dec 18, in the fifth and last phase of Jharkhand's ongoing assembly elections.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)