Eight District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and a civilian driver were killed on Monday, January 6, 2025, after Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) along the Bedre-Kutru road in Bijapur district.
The deceased jawans were identified as DRG head constable Budhram Korsa; constables Pandaru Ram Poyay, Baman Sodhi, and Dumma Markam; Bastar Fighters constables Somdu Vetti, Sudarshan Vetti, Subarnath Yadav, and Harish Korram. One of the deceased was the civilian driver, Tuleshwar Rana, hailing from Bastar district.
The powerful blast, triggered near Ambeli village under Kutru police station limits, marked the deadliest attack on security forces in the state in two years.
Details of the Incident
The explosion occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. when DRG jawans, returning from a three-day anti-Naxalite operation, were traveling in a Scorpio SUV. The vehicle was blown apart by an IED suspected to weigh between 60 and 70 kilograms.
The blast left a massive crater, approximately 8 feet deep and 16 feet wide, on the concrete road and destroyed the vehicle entirely.
Dismembered bodies and equipment were found scattered across the area, with parts of the SUV hanging from nearby trees.
The attack occurred as the DRG team was returning from an anti-Naxalite operation conducted jointly by personnel from Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Bijapur districts in the dense forests of Abujhmad.
Officials suspect the IED was planted long ago, as wires connected to it were deeply buried and concealed under layers of soil and grass.
Amit Shah Says, ‘Sacrifice Will Not Go In Vain’
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his condolences on X, vowing to eradicate Naxalism by March 2026. “It is impossible to express this grief in words, but I assure you that the sacrifice of our soldiers will not go in vain. We will end Naxalism from the land of India,” he wrote.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai called the attack a “cowardly act” perpetrated by Maoists frustrated by ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in Bastar. “The martyrdom of our soldiers will not go in vain. Our fight to end Naxalism will continue strongly,” he said. Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao echoed similar sentiments, reiterating the state’s resolve to make Bastar free of Naxal influence by March 2026.
Governor Ramen Deka condemned the attack as a “heinous crime” and extended his condolences to the families of the deceased.
Operational and Strategic Analysis
Deputy Inspector General of Police (South Bastar) Kamlochan Kashyap stated that forensic experts were investigating the site. A 150-meter-long wire connected to the IED trigger was recovered from the scene. Preliminary findings suggest lapses in operational planning, though specifics were not disclosed.
Officials revealed that the attack took place nearly 450 kilometers from Raipur and close to the Maharashtra border. The rugged terrain and dense forests of Bastar, spanning seven districts including Bijapur and Dantewada, have long been a stronghold for Maoist insurgents.
The DRG, a specialized anti-insurgency unit, has been at the forefront of the state’s operations against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). Despite their success in reducing Maoist influence in recent years, attacks like this underscore the enduring challenges of the conflict.
Security forces launched a massive search operation in the area to apprehend the Maoists responsible for the attack. Hundreds of personnel combed the region, securing the blast site and recovering body parts of the victims.
The remains of the jawans were transported to Dantewada district headquarters, where a wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday.
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