IGP (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said the Maoists detonated IED near Ambeli village under Kutru police station at around 2.15 pm when DRG personnel from Dantewada district were returning in their Scorpio vehicle after an anti-Maoist operation, killing all nine onboard. DRG is a unit of the state police and its personnel are recruited from local tribals and surrendered Maoists.
Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the bodies of the deceased were evacuated. A search operation has been launched in the area by security forces, the officer said. These DRG personnel were involved in an anti-Maoist operation carried out for three days on the borders of Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur districts by joint teams of security personnel, the IGP said.
In a counter-operation against the Left-wing Extremist on Saturday, five Maoists were killed in a three-day operation. A DRG head constable also lost his life. The body of the fifth Maoist, a woman cadre, was recovered late on Sunday.
Union home minister Amit Shah posted on X, “I am deeply saddened by the news of the loss of DRG soldiers… I express my deepest condolences to the families of the brave soldiers… We will end Naxalism from the land of India by March 2026.”
Shah visited Chhattisgarh last month and held a three-day security review chalking out a detailed plan to end the red menace. As many as 287 Maoists have been killed, 1,000 arrested and 837 surrendered in 2024 in Chhattisgarh alone. Out of this, 14 were top-ranking Maoist leaders.
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnudev Sai condemned the IED blast, calling it a heinous and tragic incident. “A thorough investigation and assessment of this attack are underway. I assure you that the sacrifices of our soldiers will not go in vain. The government is fully committed to eradicating Naxalism.”
– With Agency Inputs
