RAIPUR: Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday paid tribute to the jawans killed in a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) blast detonated by the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in Dantewada, about 450 KM south of Raipur.
He was accompanied by the state home minister Tamrdhwaj Sahu, senior officials and people’s representatives at Karli police line in Dantewada and laid a floral wreath on the coffins of the departed security personnel.
“The jawans’ martyrdom will not go waste and the security forces will now combat the Maoists more aggressively. The battle against the left-wing extremists is in its final stage in the region”, Baghel asserted.
The CM who was scheduled to visit poll-bound Karnataka for the election campaign has cancelled his trip.
Ten personnel of Dantewada District Reserve Guards (DRG) and a driver were killed after the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by the IED explosion at Aranpur on Wednesday. The blast tossed the ill-fated vehicle high in the air and left an 8 feet deep and 12-feet wide crater-like structure on the road.
On a tip-off on the presence of Maoists close to Sameli and Aranpur, a strong team of DRG left on anti-Maoist search operations in the region three days ago. They were returning to Dantewada in a private vehicle from Aranpur when the Maoists executed their attack.