Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, May 2: Four security personnel were killed in an accidental Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast during an operation to recover Maoist dumps in Bastar division of Chhattisgarh, police said on Saturday.
Inspector General of Bastar Range Sundarraj P said the incident took place in the forest area of Adnar along the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts.
According to officials, a District Reserve Guard (DRG) team from Kanker had launched an operation on May 2 based on intelligence inputs regarding hidden Maoist caches. While recovering one such dump containing electronic materials, an IED exploded during the process.
Sundarraj said Inspector Sukhram Bhatti, who was leading the team, along with constables Krishna Kumar and Sanjay Garhpale, died on the spot. Another constable, Parmanand Korram, was airlifted to Raipur but later succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
He said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to recover Maoist dumps containing IEDs, weapons, ammunition, and explosives based on information from surrendered cadres.
Highlighting the scale of anti-Maoist operations, Sundarraj said around 900 IEDs were recovered in 2025 and over 300 so far in 2026, taking the total to about 1,200. Additionally, more than 300 weapons, including AK-47s, LMGs, INSAS rifles, SLRs, and BGL launchers, have been seized.
Addressing concerns over possible lapses, he said IEDs remain a major challenge due to their complex mechanisms, including command-operated, pressure-triggered, and victim-operated devices. He added that environmental factors could also influence their behaviour, and the exact cause of the blast would be determined after forensic and ballistic examination.
Sundarraj assured that anti-Maoist operations, including IED clearance, will continue in the Bastar region, with Bomb Disposal Squads and demining teams working to make the area IED-free.
The incident has cast a shadow over ongoing security operations in the region, as authorities continue efforts to curb Maoist activities.