
RAIPUR: Two personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured in an explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the outlawed CPI (Maoist) at Putkel, under Basaguda police station limits in Bijapur, about 400 km south of Raipur, on Thursday, the police said.
“A joint team of CRPF and its elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) unit was out on an area domination exercise from the Putkel base camp on Thursday. During the campaign, two personnel were injured in a blast while accidentally crossing over a pressure IED planted by Maoists. Both the wounded jawans have been evacuated for immediate medical assistance. Their conditions are stable and out of danger,” a police officer said.
Law enforcement agencies in the conflict-ridden Bastar zone affirmed that despite the declining trend of Maoist-related incidents, the strenuous challenge of effectively countering IED threats persists during any operation in south Chhattisgarh.
Even the United Nations has cited IEDs as a grave worldwide threat.
“IEDs are the easiest weapon for Maoists, who always look for soft options to target,” asserted Brigadier (retired) B K Ponwar, a jungle warfare expert.