Dantewada: At least 10 policemen were killed in a Naxal IED attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada on Thursday. The explosion took place in the Aranpur when a mini-bus full of police personnel passed through the area. The slain security personnel belonged to the District Reserve Guard (DRG). Chhattisgarh has been hit with Naxal violence for several decades now.
Here is the timeline of major Naxal attacks in the state in recent history:
- On April 3, 2021, at least 22 security personnel lost their lives in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur. Around 31 sustained injuries in the encounter. Whereas in November 2022, security forces shot dead four Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur during an encounter with security forces. Around 50 Naxals had gathered to plan an attack on development works in the area when the forces attacked them.
- Prior to that in March 2020, a total of 17 security personnel of DRG and STF lost their lives in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.
- In March 2018, nine personnel of the 212 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in an IED blast by Naxals in the Kistaram area of Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. The CRPF personnel were carrying out an area-domination operation in the area when their mine-protected vehicle (MPV) was reportedly blown up. Later in October of the same year, two police personnel and one media person were killed in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada.
- On April 24, 2017, a total of 26 CRPF personnel were killed and eight others injured during an encounter that took place at the Burkapal-Chintagufa area in the middle of the Maoist violence-hit south Bastar area in Chhattisgarh.
- On March 12, 2017, 12 CRPF jawans were killed in a Maoist attack in the insurgency-hit Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. The attack was an ambush. After killing the jawans, the Maoists stole 10 weapons from the dead troopers and detonated an IED explosive.
- March 11, 2014: 15 security personnel were killed in a Maoist attack in Sukma district.
- February 28, 2014: Six police officials were killed in a Maoist attack in Dantewada district.
- May 25, 2013: 25 leaders from the Congress party, including former state minister Mahendra Karma, were killed in a Maoist attack in Darbha Valley.
- June 29, 2010: 26 CRPF jawans were killed in a Maoist ambush in Narayanpur district.
- May 8, 2010: Eight CRPF personnel were killed after Naxals carry out an explosion of a bullet-proof vehicle in Bijapur district.
- April 6, 2010: Maoists kill 75 CRPF personnel in an ambush in Dantewada district.
- September 4, 2009: Maoists kill four villagers in Bijapur district.
- July 27, 2009: Six persons were killed after Naxals triggered a landmine in the Dantewada district.
- July 18, 2009: Villager killed by Naxals in Bastar district.
