DRG jawan killed, three injured in naxal IED blast in Chhattisgarh

A jawan of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was killed and three others injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites exploded in Bijapur district on 18 August, Monday, police officials said.

The blast occurred in the morning inside the Indravati National Park area while a DRG team was carrying out an anti-Naxal operation. DRG jawan Dinesh Nag lost his life in the explosion, while three other personnel sustained injuries.

The injured were given preliminary treatment and are being evacuated from the forest for further medical care, a senior police officer confirmed. Details of the ongoing operation, which was launched on Sunday, are expected to be shared later.

The incident comes a day after security forces recovered a significant cache of explosives in Gariaband district following a gunfight with Maoists, in which four Naxalites carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 19 lakh surrendered.

Acting on information provided by one of the surrendered cadres, security forces discovered a Maoist dump in a forested hill along Gobra road. The recovery included four BGL rounds, a hand grenade, 15 INSAS rounds with a magazine, 15 gelatin rods, 50 detonators, an SLR rifle magazine and Rs 16.50 lakh in cash.

Police said the operation, launched late on Saturday night, saw intermittent exchanges of fire before the Maoists retreated into the jungle.

The surrendered Naxalites were identified as Deepak alias Bhima Mandavi, a divisional area committee member (DVCM) with a reward of Rs 8 lakh; Kailash alias Bhima Bhogam and Ranita alias Payki, both area committee members (ACMs) carrying Rs 5 lakh each; and Sujita alias Karam, who had a Rs 1 lakh bounty. They also handed over an SLR rifle and a single-shot gun.

According to police, the cadres said they were influenced by the state’s new surrender and rehabilitation policy and the police’s outreach programme. They have been assured assistance and will be rehabilitated under the state government’s provisions.