Four Police Personnel Killed As IED Explodes During Demining Operation In Chhattisgarh

Four police personnel, including a District Reserve Guard (DRG) inspector, were killed after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated during a demining operation in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Saturday, officials said.

The incident occurred around 11:30 am in a forested area near Aadnar village under Chhotebethiya police station limits, close to the Narayanpur district border. A joint team comprising the DRG, Bastar Fighters, and district force was conducting an operation to trace and neutralise explosives allegedly planted earlier by Maoists.

This is the first blast incident linked to Naxalite activity in the state since it was declared free from armed Maoism on March 31. It also marks the first loss of security personnel this year in anti-Naxal operations.

According to Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam, the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs gathered over the past few months, including information from surrendered cadres. Security forces had earlier recovered and neutralised hundreds of IEDs across the Bastar region, which comprises seven districts, including Kanker.

During Saturday’s operation, the team first detected a Maoist dump and recovered materials. Soon after, they located another dump containing an IED buried underground. However, the explosive went off while personnel were attempting to retrieve it for defusal , critically injuring four personnel.

Inspector Sukhram Vatti (40) of the DRG, who was leading the team, and constables Krishna Komra (35) and Sanjay Gadhpale (29) died on the spot. Another injured constable, Parmanand Komra (29) , succumbed to injuries later at a hospital in Raipur after being airlifted.

A Bomb Disposal Squad was present at the site. Prima facie, the IED may have exploded due to an accidental circuit connection while being handled, though a detailed forensic examination is underway to determine the exact cause.

Security forces have launched a search operation in the area. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma termed the incident “very tragic” and said the government stands firmly with the bereaved families, expressing condolences for the loss of the personnel.