RAIPUR: Four District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel lost their lives in an accidental Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast during the de-mining and area domination operation near the Kanker-Narayanpur border on Saturday.
“A DRG team was deployed for a search and de-mining mission to sanitise the border regions within the Chhotebethiya police station limits. During the operation, the team encountered an IED previously planted by Maoists. Three jawans died on the spot while they were neutralising the device and it detonated unexpectedly. Another personnel later succumbed to his injuries,” said Nikhil Rakhecha, Kanker district superintendent of police.
The deceased included Inspector Sukhram Vatti, constables Krishna Komra and Sanjay Gadhpale. Constable Parmanand Komra, who sustained serious injuries and was evacuated to Raipur, died during treatment at a hospital.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed deep grief over the death of four DRG personnel and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
“I pay my humble tribute to the martyred jawans and pray to God to grant peace to the departed souls,” the CM said.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range), Sundarraj Pattilingam, expressing profound sorrow over the loss of the personnel said that security forces have been on high alert, successfully recovering and neutralising hundreds of concealed IEDs across the Bastar Range in recent months.
These operations have largely been driven by intelligence provided by surrendered Maoist cadres.
"In a deeply unfortunate turn of events, the IED exploded while the Kanker police team was actively working to neutralise it," IG Sundarraj stated.