Narayanpur: Two Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel were killed and two policemen suffered injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast orchestrated by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Saturday. The explosion occurred near Mohandi village in the Abujhmad area while security forces were returning from an anti-Maoist operation.
The personnel belonging to the ITBP, Border Security Force (BSF) and District Reserve Guard of Police were involved in the operation launched from Orchha, Irakbhatti and Mohandi areas, he said. The blast took place when patrolling teams were returning after the operation. The four injured personnel were shifted to a hospital, the police officer said.
“Two ITBP personnel succumbed to injuries while the condition of the injured policemen was stated to be out of danger,” he said. Those killed were identified as Amar Panwar (36) of Satara in Maharashtra and K Rajesh (36) of Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, he said, adding that the duo belonged to the 53rd battalion of ITBP.
It may be recalled that a major Maoist encounter took place in Abujhmad on October 4 where the bodies of 31 Maoists were recovered. Recent reports indicated that the total number of Maoist casualties from that encounter has risen to 38, with the police identifying several of the deceased. The Maoists killed in this operation were reportedly carrying a combined bounty of over Rs 2.62 crore.
It may be recalled that in recent years, Maoist groups have been using IEDs in conflict areas and these attacks have hurt or killed many security personnel.
Major incidents of Maoists triggering IED blasts
17.07.2024:Two security personnel lost their lives and four others were injured in an IED blast while conducting an anti-Maoist operation in the forests of Bijapur district, located in the insurgency-affected Bastar region.
26.04.2023:Ten security personnel returning from a counter-insurgency operation and a civilian driver were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in was blown up by Maoists, in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada.
27.03.2023:An assistant platoon commander of the Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF) was killed by unidentified Maoists in an explosion triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in insurgency-hit Bijapur district.