Chhattisgarh: 8 DRG Jawans, Driver Killed in Bijapur Naxal IED Blast

Nine individuals, including eight District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and their driver, lost their lives in an IED blast orchestrated by Naxals on Monday in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. The explosion occurred on the Bedre-Kutru road, officials confirmed.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P stated that the DRG team was returning from a joint anti-Naxal operation involving personnel from Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Bijapur districts. The operation aimed to counter Maoist activities in the region.

This marks one of the most significant Naxal attacks targeting security forces in the past two years. A similar incident occurred in April 2023 in neighboring Dantewada, where ten police officers and a civilian driver were killed in a vehicle explosion.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his condolences via social media platform X, vowing to eradicate Naxalism by March 2026. "The sacrifice of our brave soldiers will not go in vain," Shah stated.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai condemned the incident, attributing it to the frustration of Naxal groups facing intensified anti-insurgency operations. "Our efforts to eliminate Naxalism will continue with full force," he assured. Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao echoed similar sentiments, labeling the attack as "cowardly" and reaffirming the state’s commitment to making Bastar Naxal-free by 2026.

The IED blast coincided with a separate operation in the Bastar region, where security forces reported killing five Naxals, including two women. The encounter began on Saturday in the Abujhmaad forest along the Narayanpur-Dantewada border.

An official stated that a joint team comprising DRG personnel from Narayanpur, Bastar, Kondagaon, and Dantewada, along with the Special Task Force (STF), launched the operation on Friday. Four bodies were initially recovered on Sunday, with another found later, bringing the total to five.

In the same encounter, DRG head constable Sannu Karam lost his life. Search operations in the area were ongoing as of Monday morning.

Chhattisgarh has witnessed significant anti-Naxal operations over the past year. In 2024, security forces neutralized 219 Naxals in separate encounters, according to state police records. Earlier this month, a Naxal was killed in an encounter in Gariaband district, part of Raipur division.