Late on Monday, Maoists attacked a team of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, killing a jawan and injuring another in Kanker district.
Speaking to TOI, Dantewada district superintendent of police, Kamal Lochan Kashyap, said, "Guerrillas triggered a powerful blast near a culvert, targeting the mine-protected vehicle. Rebels used 100 kg of explosives. Magnitude of explosion was so intense that the 50-tonne anti-landmine vehicle was tossed in the air and fell upside down."
The blast left an 18-foot deep crater on the ground and rifles, guns and explosives lay strewn around. It seemed the trap was laid afresh as connecting wire that connected explosives at a distance of 150 metres looked new.
"After the blast, Maoists resorted to indiscriminate firing to inflict heavy casualties on security forces," he said. Explosions and subsequent gunshots alerted security forces at nearby Cholnar camp, who rushed to the site.
Jaiprakash Paswan, resident of Gazipur, UP, constable Alauddin, resident of Gazipur UP, assistant constable Lallu Pradhan of Dantewada, constables Bansi Dhar and Shiva Kashyap are among the dead. All injured constables of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) were rushed to National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) hospital at Baccheli, where four succumbed to injuries during treatment. Later, three critically injured constables were airlifted to a hospital in the state capital.
Superintendent of police said Maoists also used sophisticated under-barrel grenade launchers (UBGL) due to which the heavy vehicle was mangled. He said Maoists clearly knew there was a CAF camp, few km away and they would reach within 15-20 minutes of the blast.
"They fired and attacked as much they could in 15-20 minutes. We have recovered a bag containing toothpaste, brush, soap, snacks, night wears, slingshot, pair shoes and few other belongings from the spot. This clearly indicates rebels were camping in the area since last night.
CAF personnel were on a search operation and were not wearing seat belts. Though they suffered injuries in the impact, this also possibly played in their favour as they were able to retaliate even after the vehicle overturned.
The incident took place in an area close to the so-called liberated zone of Dandakaranya of the Maoists where rebels hold the key. Forces on Sunday had recovered a 10 kg IED from Kutrunala near Cholnar region.
In last three days, rebels targeted security forces in Sukma, Kanker and Dantewada districts, killing 12 security personnel in tribal Bastar region. Maoists ambushed a team of special task Force (STF) personnel in dense forests of Pidmal in Sukma district on Saturday, killing seven personnel. Late on Sunday, rebels set ablaze 18 vehicles, including trucks, at a mine in Kanker district.
On Monday night, Maoists attacked a team of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, killing a BSF jawan and injuring another.
After a lull, the rebels have stepped up activities in the region with the advent of summer when they run a Tactical Counter Offensive campaign (TCOC) from April to July every year. Now, security forces have been put on maximum alert in the Maoist areas following intelligence inputs about presence of Maoist guerrillas in the forests of Bastar. SP Dantewada Kamal Lochan Kashyap may have been on Maoist target, say intelligence inputs. Minutes before blast, Kashyap had crossed the route after search operation in the region.
He confirmed he had gone to Cholnar region to sound alert after Kanker incident on Monday. While he couldn't even reach the nearest town Bacheli, he received information about the blast.
"I returned to the spot within 15 minutes while the firing was still going on. Forces retaliated with heavy fire power after which Maoists fled to forests. Maoists had waited for the landmine vehicle to return from search operation and took up positions to target them.
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