The blasts took place on Saturday.
Preliminary police investigations reveal the blast at Ketunar targeting polling officials was triggered about 200m away from the road and 50 to 60 guerrillas were involved. The blast at Ketunar had left a four-foot deep crater indicating use of over 50kg of explosives.
ADG (Naxal operations) RK Vij said a team from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) had visited the spot and taken samples of explosive materials. He admitted that though intelligence reports about possibilities of more Naxalite attacks existed, they weren't of a very specific nature.
Though a CFSL team is yet to visit Darbha Valley, police officials claim the blast appeared similar to that of Ketunar. It's suspected that similar quantities, over 50kg of explosives were used in Darbha as well. Eight people including six CRPF personnel and the driver and the technician of the 108 ambulance lost their lives in the blast.
Police officials said CRPF personnel had successfully completed the road opening process in Darbha Valley prior to the blast and had secured all EVMs used during polling on April 10.
Officials said the Darbha blast was apparently an unplanned one and Maoists decided to target the ambulance only after CRPF jawans hitch-hiked. "Had the jawans not taken a ride in the ambulance, they may have survived," said an official.
A Rs 32-lakh compensation has been announced for families of the dead polling staff. This includes Rs 12 lakh from the government and Rs 20 lakh from ECI. Families of the ambulance driver and technician will get Rs 25 lakh each, Rs 20 lakh from EC and Rs 5 lakh from the state government.
The five injured admitted to a hospital here continues to be critical. Doctors on attending them said there has not been much improvement in their condition, which was being monitored round-the-clock.
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