A police jawan was martyred and three others were injured on Monday morning when a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Maoists exploded in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. The incident occurred in the Ulloor valley area, within the Indravati National Park, during a dedicated anti-Naxal operation being conducted by a team from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a specialized anti-insurgency unit of the state police.
The deceased jawan has been identified as Dinesh Nag of the DRG. He was part of a team that had embarked on the anti-Maoist operation on Sunday and was marching on foot through the forest when they inadvertently stepped on a pressure-activated IED. The resulting explosion was powerful enough to cause fatalities, killing Nag and injuring three of his colleagues.
According to police officials, the blast took place while the DRG team was engaged in a morning patrol as part of their ongoing operation. Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, P. Sundarraj, confirmed the details of the attack, stating that the injured personnel were immediately administered first aid at the remote location. Reinforcements were rushed to the site, and the injured jawans, who are reported to be in stable condition and out of danger, were evacuated for further medical treatment.
This attack is a grim reminder of the persistent threat posed by Maoist insurgents in the Bastar region, who frequently use IEDs to target security forces navigating the challenging forested terrain.
The incident comes just days after security forces achieved a major success against the insurgents in a separate operation. On August 14, two high-ranking Naxal commanders, carrying a combined bounty of ₹1.16 crore, were neutralized in a gun battle in the Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district of the state. The elimination of Vijay Reddy, a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, and Lokesh Salame, Secretary of the Rajnandgaon-Kanker Border division, was seen as a significant blow to the Maoist operations in the region.
Monday's fatal blast highlights the volatile and dangerous environment in which security forces operate. As the ongoing operation continues, further details are awaited from the police. The loss of DRG jawan Dinesh Nag is being mourned by his colleagues and senior officials, who have reiterated their commitment to continuing the fight against Naxalism in the state.
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