9 killed after Naxals blow up security vehicle with IED in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur
Nine people, including eight jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and a civilian driver, were killed after Naxals blew up their vehicle with a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Monday. This was the biggest strike by Maoists on security forces in the state in the last two years and the first assault in 2025.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said that Maoists detonated the IED near Ambeli village under Kutru police station area at around 2.15 pm when DRG personnel from Dantewada district were returning in their Scorpio vehicle after an anti-Naxalite operation, killing all nine onboard, reports PTI.
The DRG is a unit of the state police and its personnel are mostly recruited from local tribal population and also from surrendered Naxalites.
Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the bodies of the deceased were being evacuated.
A search operation has been launched in the area by security forces, the IPS officer said.
These DRG personnel were involved in an anti-Naxalite operation carried out for three days on the borders of Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur districts by joint teams of security personnel, the IG said. Five Naxalites were killed in the three-day-long operation and one DRG head constable also lost his life.
After the operation, DRG personnel from Dantewada were returning to their base in the vehicle when the attack occurred in Kutru area, Sundarraj added.
Visuals from the spot showed a huge crater, more than 10-feet deep, splitting the concrete road after the blast. The vehicle was completely destroyed in the explosion while dismembered bodies were seen placed on plastic sheets. A part of the vehicle was seen hanging on a nearby tree.
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