Pressure IED planted by Naxalites explodes during patrol ahead of bandh; ASP Akash Rao Giripunje critically injured
Raipur: A senior police officer was on Monday killed and at least a couple of cops were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast triggered by Maoists in Sukma district under south Bastar of Chhattisgarh, police said.
The incident occurred near the village of Dondra on the Konta- Errabor road.
Maoists triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting a search party led by Sukma district additional superintendent of police Akash Rao Girupunje, when they were conducting search operations, killing the police officer and injuring two others, a senior police officer said.
The search party was en route to the site on foot where Maoists set on fire a JCB machine used for construction works, for inspection, he added.
The ASP was rushed to the Konta hospital for treatment.
However, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment, the police officer said.
Two other injured cops, the local sub-division officer of police (SDOP) Bhanupratap Chandrakar, and station house officer (SHO) Sonal Gwala were injured in the incident.
They were admitted to the Konta hospital and later airlifted to Raipur for better medical care, police said.
The slain police officer was from the 2016 batch of state police service and known to be a brave cop.
The police team was conducting a search operation in the area ahead of the Bharat bandh call given by Maoists on Tuesday in protest against the recent killing of their Central Committee Member (CCM) Sudkhakar and Telangana State Committee member Bhaskar.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai condemned the killing of the police officer by Maoists calling it ‘dastardly act’ by them and vowed to end Maoism in Chhattisgarh.
The Naxals have to pay a heavy price for this, he said and added, “We will eliminate the existence of Maoists in Chhattisgarh”.
Deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma, who holds home portfolio, announced that there would be no peace talks with Maoists.
Bastar range inspector general police P Sunderraj said, “It is extremely unfortunate to lose such a brave warrior in this cowardly attack by Maoists. The Maoist organization today is completely demoralized and weakened, and no longer has the courage to confront the security forces directly. That is why they are conspiring to target our brave jawans through cowardly acts such as IED blasts”.
