New Delhi - Maoist rebels stepped up attacks in eastern India Wednesday on the eve of general elections, blowing up a bus carrying police and attacking a paramilitary camp, news reports said. A group of Maoists attacked a convoy carrying Central Reserve Police Force personnel on election duty in Jharkhand state's Latehar district, PTI news agency reported.

Five Maoists and two police officers were killed, police force sources were quoted as saying.

In a separate incident in neighbouring Bihar state, a group of at least 100 Maoists attacked a camp of the paramilitary Border Security Force in Rohtas district.

Lathear (Jharkhand), Apr. 15 : Seven people, including five Maoist rebels, were killed during an attack on a CRPF bus in Jharkhand''s Lathear District, about 105 kilometres from state capital Ranchi.

The bus was carrying around 80 CRPF personnel and was ambushed near Nimiadih village late Tuesday.

New reports said Maoist rebels first detonated a landmine and then started firing indiscriminately. The security personnel retaliated with gunfire.

In a latest development, India's largest utility NTPC has informed that it would start coal production from its mines in Jharkhand in the second half of this fiscal.

The company plans to achieve a coal production target of 15 million tonnes per annum by 2012.

It should be noted that NTPC has ventured into the coal mining business with an aim to meet about 20 per cent of its fuel requirement from its captive mines by 2017.

Ranchi, Apr 14 : Maoists in Ranchi in Jharkhand call for shutdown, forcing normal life to come to a standstill.

The shutdown was called to disrupt the ongoing election process.

According to S N Pradhan, police spokesperson, the main aim of the naxals was to sabotage the election process and the campaigning taking place in the state. They also want to pose a threat to the security of the candidates.

He says, police officials are on the alert and are working day and night to maintain peace.

Khunti (Jharkhand), Apr 11 : Five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in an encounter with the naxals here.

The incident took place hours before Congress President Sonia Gandhi held a poll rally in the district.

According to sources, five personnel were killed while three others injured during the four-hour encounter.

The CRPF personnel conducted a search operation following inputs of naxal presence in the area. They came under heavy gunfire as soon as they entered the forests.

Ranchi, Apr 11 : United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said that over half of the country comprises of youths, and they could usher a change and a revolution in the country.

"This is a country of youths. There are around 70 percent youths in our country today. Who can bring the change? Only the young generation can bring change. This is a century of change and revolution," Gandhi told an election rally here.