Naxalite killed in blast while planting IED in Chhattisgarh

A senior police officer said that a Naxalite was killed when an explosive device (IED) was planted on the road to target security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, a senior police officer said.

The incident occurred on Saturday on the way to Bichpal-Harpal village in Mircher police station area when rebels from West Bastar division of Maoists were engaged in planting explosives, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundararaj P. PTI

The official said that as per preliminary information, Maoist militia commander Sunil Padam was killed when he was making the IED underground near Gethpara village, accidentally activated, causing a major explosion.

He said that the deceased’s comrades left the body and fled from the spot, which is located 400 km from the state capital Raipur.

After being alerted, a police team searched the area.

Police recovered the body of the rebel and sent it for postmortem.

“Padam, who was active in the Bhairamgarh area committee of Maoists, was reported to be an expert on the imposition of IEDs,” the official said.

The police officer said that this is the second incident in the last one month in which the Maoists have fallen into their trap.

On 18 February, Somji alias Sahadev, a divisional committee member of the Maoists’ North Bastar division, was killed in an attempt to put an IED in Kanker district of Bastar division.