One BSF jawan has been martyred as Maoists triggered six IED blasts in Kanker district on Sunday targeting a team of BSF. One day ahead of the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Maoists reportedly carried out two incidents of violence in the state. In the other incident, an encounter reportedly took place in Bijapur between Maoists and the security forces in which one Maoist was gunned down and another was apprehended and a large quantity of explosives was recovered.
Confirming the news of the attacks, Special Director General of Police (anti-Naxal operation), DM Awasthi said that the exchange of fire broke out in the forest of Bedre police station limits when a team of Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Naxal operation.
As per information given by the police, a set of six IED blasts was triggered by Maoists to target the security forces in between Kattakal and Gome villages. The blast took place at around 8.30 am when a team of BSF was on routine area domination in Koliyabeda area.
Kanker SP K L Dhruve said, “One BSF ASI, Mahinder Singh, sustained splinter and bullet injuries in the blast and was rushed to the hospital. We have launched a combing operation in the area after the blast.” Singh later succumbed to injuries.
Maoists have declared to boycott the upcoming assembly elections. They have carried out a number of brutal attacks in the past few days to hinder the polls. On Oct 30, a CRPF patrolling party and a TV crew of Doordarshan was attacked by the Naxalites in the Aranpur area of Dantewada in which two security personnel were martyred and a DD cameraman was also killed. Three days ago, on Nov 8, Naxals triggered an IED blast on a bus near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada area in which 3 civilians and 1 CISF personnel lost their lives.
On the same day, a CPI worker was beaten to death by Naxalites on the suspicion of being a police informant.
First phase of elections will be held in Chhattisgarh tomorrow with Naxal-affected districts like Bastar and Dantewada will be going to vote. Second phase of elections in Chhattisgarh will be held on 20th November and the counting of votes to be carried out on 11th December along with rest of the four states, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
