Dantewada IED Blast: At least ten jawans and a civilian were killed in an IED explosion carried out by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada on Wednesday (April 26). Naxals attacked a patrolling party on Dantewada's Aranpur road. A District Reserve Guard (DRG) team was returning to their headquarters in a vehicle when an IED planted on the Aranpur road exploded, killing at least ten jawans and the driver, news agency PTI reported citing officials.
The blast occurred between 1 pm and 1:30 pm in the Aranpur police station area, when a team of the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. The blast occurred approximately 450 kilometres from the state capital of Raipur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the Naxal attack on Chhattisgarh police officers and paid tribute to those killed in the incident.
"Strongly condemn the attack on the Chhattisgarh police in Dantewada. I pay my tributes to the brave personnel we lost in the attack. Their sacrifice will always be remembered. My condolences to the bereaved families," the prime minister said on Twitter.
READ | Last Days Of War On Naxalism, Jawans' Sacrifice Won't Go In Vain, Says Chhattisgarh CM
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE KEY POINTS ABOUT THE NAXAL ATTACK IN CHHATTISGARH:
- The explosion was carried out with the help of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) containing approximately 40 kg of explosive material. A 150-metre-long wire connected to the command IED's trigger was recovered.
- The explosion shattered the road and completely destroyed the vehicle, leaving a nearly 10-foot-deep crater.
- A pressure bomb, according to reports, was used to attack the patrolling party in Dantewada.
- This was the state's largest Maoist strike against security forces in the last two years.
- According to the official, security personnel were later returning to their base in a convoy of vehicles. According to him, there was a 100-150-metrE gap between vehicles, and the Naxals targeted the second vehicle in the convoy. The MUV was completely destroyed, and bodies were seen covered in plastic sheets.
- CM Bhupesh Baghel held a high-level meeting here on Wednesday evening to review the situation after the Naxal attack. Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Director General of Police Ashok Juneja, Secretary to CM Ankit Anand and Inspector General (Intelligence) Ajay Yadav, among others, were present at the meeting.
- The fight against Naxalism, according to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, is in its final stages, and the Naxals will not be spared under any circumstances. "We will work together to eliminate Naxalism," he said.
- Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, spoke with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to assess the situation. He also assured the chief minister that the central government would provide all possible assistance in dealing with the situation.
- Security officials blame such incidents on a lack of foolproof technology to detect IEDs and the increasing desperation of Naxals, who are avoiding direct combat with forces involved in operations to completely eradicate LWE violence in the state.
- Following the Naxal attack in Dantewada, the Odisha government issued a high alert in three districts bordering Chhattisgarh: Malkangiri, Koraput, and Nabarangpur.