MULUGU: A 55-year-old man was killed while his son sustained injuries when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in the Kongala forest area of Wazeedu mandal on Monday.
According to Wazeedu police, the deceased, I Yesu, and his son Ramesh along with three other villagers were going to the Kongala forest to collect firewood. However, Yesu stepped on an IED planted by Maoists to kill police personnel during combing operations, resulting in his death and injuring his son, cops said.
Upon learning about the incident, residents of Kongala and Jagannadhapuram villages rushed into the forest area and alerted the police. Subsequently, the cops shifted Yesu’s body to the Eturunagaram Community Health Centre (CHC) for autopsy. A case was registered at Wazeedu police station.
‘Tribals suffer the most’
Mulugu Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr P Shabarish visited the CHC and expressed his condolences to Yesu’s family. Speaking to the media later, the SP said that the phenomenon of left-wing extremists placing land mines in Agency areas was leading to the death of innocent civilians. He pointed out that on May 30, a resident of Arunachalampuram village along with his pet dog went to the forest to collect leaves but it ended in the death of the canine when it stepped on a landmine.
“Many such incidents have taken place. Tribals suffer the most from the actions of the Maoists, as they are the main obstacles to development,” Shabarish added.