Narayanpur: Panic gripped Chhote Dongar area of Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh after Maoists carried out an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blast at a private iron ore mine here on Wednesday. A labourer has been injured in the incident, police said.
As per reports, the explosion took place around 9AM today at the Amdai Valley Iron Mines. The injured labourer was rushed to hospital for treatment.
Speaking to media, Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar said, "A pressure IED blast was triggered by Naxalites at 9AM in Amdai Mines of Chhote Dongar. A labourer, identified as Rajman Salam from Chheribeda Para in Badgaon, has sustained injuries in the leg. He was given preliminary treatment at Chhote Dongar and then shifted to District Hospital in Raipur for advanced treatment. His condition is now stable."
The SP further informed that Wednesday explosion was a part of the persistent Maoist resistance against mining activities in the region. While senior police officials said that security has been heightened and investigation is underway, the mines authorities are yet to release any official statement in this regard.
Naxalites Opposing Mining Operations
Reportedly, this is not the first time that the Naxalites have targeted the iron ore mine. The Amdai Valley Iron Ore Mine, situated 350 kms away from Raipur, is operated by Jaiswal Neco Industries Limited (JNIL), and Naxalites have been opposing mining operations in the region since long. In November 2023, a similar IED explosion at the same site had claimed the lives of two labourers.
On Tuesday, two security personnel were injured when an IED went off, while another jawan was hurt after he stepped over a spike trap in a forest along the border of Bijapur and Dantewada districts where a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official said. Reportedly, personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were involved in the operation.
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