10 police personnel, driver martyred inNaxal-triggered IED blast in Dantewada

 

 

 

IN A tragic incident, ten police personnel and a driver were killed after Naxals blew up the vehicle in which they were travelling in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Wednesday, police said. Officials confirmed the news and stated that the incident occurred about 2 km away from Aranpur police station and 55 km away from the district headquarters around 1 pm when a team of the State Police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) was returning from an anti-Naxalite operation. The troopers were travelling in a Marshal vehicle to evade the Maoists, who laid an ambush soon after getting information that security personnel had boarded the vehicle. They detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) weighing 50 kgs when the vehicle reached the spot. The impact of the explosion was so severe that the vehicle tossed several feet high before landing in mangled remains. The explosion created a pit measuring nearly 15 feet in depth. All the DRG troopers and the driver of the vehicle died on the spot, and the bodies of the martyrs were scattered around.

 

This is the first major incident in the last four-anda-half years in Chhattisgarh. After the incident, senior police officials, including Superintendent of Police, DIG CRPF, and IG Anti Naxal (Ops), reached the spot along with additional forces, who started a search and combing operation in the area. The martyred troopers have been identified as Joga Sodhi, Munna Ram Kadti, Santosh Tamo, Dulgo Mandavi, LakhmuMarkam,JogaKawasi,Hariram Mandavi, Raju Ram Kartam, Jairam Podiyam, Jagdish Kawasi, and Dhaniram Yadav (driver). Expressing his grief over the incident, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel extended his condolences to the families of the deceased. He took to Twitter to say, “News of 10 DRG (District Reserve Guard) personnel and one driver being killed in an IED attack by Naxals in Dantewada is saddening. The jawans were in the area for an anti-Naxal operation.”

 

The Chief Minister also prayed for the departed souls’ peace. Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan has joined in expressing his deep sorrow over the martyrdom of 10 District Reserve Guard (DRG) troopers and one driverin Dantewada district. He paid tribute to the martyrs and extended his condolences to the bereaved families. Condemning the Naxal incident, the Governor strongly denounced the anti-national intentions of Naxalites and stated that their agenda will never succeed. Harichand anal soemphasised that the Central and State Governments are determined to eliminate Naxalism in a coordinated manner. In the past, numerous attacks have taken place on the security forces in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh,comprising seven districts including Dantewada,betweenMarch andJune. In the last major incident, 22 security personnel were killed on April 3, 2021, in an ambush along the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts. Seventeen security personnel were killed in a Naxal ambush in the Minpa areaofSukmadistrictonMarch21,2020. On April 9, 2019, BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi and four security personnel werekilledina blastinDantewadadistrict. TheBurkapalattackofApril24,2017, in Sukma district claimed the lives of 25CRPFpersonnel.TheTadmetlamassacre, the deadliest Naxal attack in which 76 security personnel died, had taken place in April 6, 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly condemned the Naxal attack on Chhattisgarh police personnel and paid tributes 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 tweeted.

 

 

 

FOLLOWING the tragic incident in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district where 10 policemen and a driver lost their lives in a blast carried out by Naxalites, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel onWednesday to assess situation, according to officials. During the conversation, Shah assured the Chief Minister of all possible assistance in handling the situation. The Home Minister also stated that  the Central Government would provide all necessary aid to the State Government, as per officials. Theincidenthassparkedwidespread condemnation, with politicians and citizens alike expressing their condolences to the families of the deceased. The State Government has launched aninvestigationinto thematter, while additional security forces have been deployed to the area to maintain law and order.

 

CABINET PAYS TRIBUTE TO POLICE PERSONNEL KILLED IN DANTEWADA IED ATTACK:THE Union Cabinet on Wednesday paid tributes to police personnel killed in an IED blast in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said. The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also passed a resolution condoling the demise of former Punjab chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patriarchParkash SinghBadal,Thakur told reporters here. Ten police men were killed when their vehicle was blown up by anim provised explosive device (IED) in Dantewada districtofChhattisgarhonWednesday. Badal, 95, died at a private hospital inPunjab’sMohalionTuesdayevening.