Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Ranjan, however, told UNI on conclusion of polling at 1600 hours that the election process was by and large peaceful throughout the state.Today's polling was marked by extremists violence which claimed six lives, including four CRPF jawans. There were also few other stray incidents, including explosions in two places near polling stations.

``Polling was by and large peaceful all over the state,'' the Chief Electoral Officer said, quoting reports from various sub-divisions.

Inspector General of Police (law and order) K. Salim Ali said heavily armed All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) militants ambushed a CRPF patrol party at Girish Karbari para under Gandachara police station in Dhalai district at about 0715 hours, killing four CRPFpersonnel, a civilian driver and his assistant on the spot. The CRPF jawans retaliated killing a militant in a hour-long gunbattle. The ultras also took away two self-loading rifles from the slain jawans.

Senior CRPF and police officials along with additional para military forces have rushed to the spot and launched a massive combing operation to apprehend the terrorists. Both the militant outfits of the state -- ATTF and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) -- had earlier given a poll boycott call. The Chief Electoral Officer said that in some areas polling percentage was more than 65.