In a tragic incident, a CRPF jawan was injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Tuesday. As per the information, the incident took place near a camp of the paramilitary force under Jagargunda police station limits bordering Dantewada district. Dantewada Additional Superintendent of Police R K Barman said that a team of security personnel was out on an 'area domination and search' operation.
During their return, CRPF's 231st battalion head-constable M N Shukla inadvertently stepped on a pressure-activated IED which triggered the blast. He was administered preliminary treatment and airlifted to Raipur, the police official said.
The IED attack in Sukma came a couple of days after the security forces neutralised 31 Naxalites in the forest area of the state's Bijapur. Providing details about the encounter, IG Bastar P Sundarraj said that the Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the forests under the National Park area of District Bijapur. The encounter started on Sunday morning in the forest of the Indravati National Park in the Bijapur district.
Two jawans also fell in line of duty during the encounter, while two others were injured. The gunfight took place when a joint team of personnel from different security forces was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, a senior police official said.
Reacting to it, Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on X and said, "In the direction of making India Naxal-free, the security forces have achieved a big success in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. In this operation, 31 Naxalites were killed and a huge amount of arms and explosives were also recovered."
"Today we have lost two of our brave soldiers in the effort to end anti-human Naxalism. This country will always be indebted to these heroes. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers. I also reiterate my resolve that before 31 March 2026, we will completely eradicate Naxalism from the country, so that no citizen of the country has to lose his life due to it." he added.
(With PTI Inputs)