2 jawans killed, 4 injured in IED attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur

Two personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) were killed and four others injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Wednesday night, police said.

The incident took place in the Tarrem area when a joint team of security personnel was returning after an anti-Maoist operation in forests on the tri-junction of Bijapur-Sukma-Dantewada districts.

Personnel belonging to the STF, District Reserve Guard – both units of state police – Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA were involved in the operation that began on Tuesday.

“On receiving intelligence about the presence of Naxals belonging to Darbha and West Bastar divisions and military company no. 2, teams of STF, DRG, CoBRA, and CRPF from the said districts went on a special operation in a joint operation on July 16,” the Bijapur police said in a statement.

As the personnel were returning after concluding the operation, the Maoists targeted them with IED.

The two personnel killed in the attack have been identified as Bharat Sahu, a resident of Raipur, and Satyer Singh Kange, a resident of Narayanpur district.

Meanwhile, additional security forces have been sent to the area and necessary arrangements have been made for proper treatment of the injured STF jawans, the police said.

Last month, six Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district in the biggest attack by security forces on People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army company no. 6, which is considered a pillar of the attacking force of Naxalites. The encounter took place on June 6 near Gobel and Thulthuli villages under Orcha police station limits.

The Maoists reportedly carried a cumulative bounty of ₹38 lakh, the police said.