New Delhi: A head constable identified as Sanjay Lakra of the 16th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) died in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast that was allegedly carried out by Naxalites in the Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, as per the police. Narayanpur Additional Superintendent of Police Hemsagar Sidar said that incident occurred at around 7 AM close to Batum village which falls within the Orcha police station jurisdiction, news agency PTI reported. Following the incident, the officials learnt about banners put up by Naxalites. A CAF team has already been dispatched to patrol the area from Orcha police station to its vicinity which is about 300 km away from the state capital Raipur.
According to officials cited by PTI, Lakra had inadvertently stepped on the IED pressure connection which caused the blast, leading to his death. The head constable was a resident of Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district. Later, he was taken to a local hospital in the area.
Earlier, in a separate encounter with Naxalites in the Sukma district of the state on Saturday, three police personnel lost their lives. They served in the state police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG).
According to a PTI report, the gunfight took place between Jagardunda and Kunded villages at around 9 am. Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said the incident happened when a team from DRG was on a patrol in the area to ensure security for the ongoing road construction in the region.
Earlier, on February 20, two police officers were killed in an attack by Naxalites in the Rajnandgaon district.
According to the state IG, a contingent of around 150 DRG personnel was sent out for patrolling on Saturday morning from Jagargunda towards Kunded when Naxalites ambushed the DRG camp which was set up in Kunded village of Sukma to ensure security for the ongoing construction work in the area.
They were from the ultras' military battalion number 1. The IG added that they ambushed the area which caused a heavy exchange of fire. The jawans were in confrontation with the military battalion no 1 of the Naxalites, which is considered to be the strongest formation in Bastar.
According to Sundarraj P, the gunfight lasted for one hour but the Naxalites escaped.
He said, “Assistant sub-inspector Ramuram Nag (36), assistant constable Kunjam Joga (33) and sainik Vanjam Bheema (31) were killed in the exchange of fire.”
It was one of the major attacks on security personnel in the Bastar region after the 2021 Takalgudiyam ambush in the Bijapur district. Around 22 personnel were killed in that incident.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has expressed grief over the incident.