Incident Overview:
- An IED blast in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh, killed 9 people: 8 security personnel and 1 civilian.
- The blast occurred at 2:15 p.m. on the Kudri Bedre road near Ambeli village, close to the Maharashtra boundary.
- The victims were part of a joint-operation team returning from an anti-Maoist operation in the Abujhmad forests.
Relevance : GS 3(Internal Security )
Victims:
- The eight deceased were from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters, specialized forces combating left-wing extremism.
- The civilian, who was driving the vehicle, has yet to be found (body suspected to have fallen into a nearby rivulet).
Explosion Details:
- Forensic experts reported the explosion created an elliptical crater 8 feet deep and 10-16 feet wide in places.
- The explosive device was made of 60-70 kg of material, buried beneath the ground with grass over it, indicating it had been planted a long time ago.
- Similar to a previous blast in Dantewada in April 2023, the blast was triggered via electrical wires.
Search Efforts:
- Security forces combed the area, recovering the remains of the jawans but still searching for the civilian’s body.
- Divers were deployed to search a nearby rivulet.
Casualties and Context:
- This marks the loss of 9 personnel in just the first week of January 2025 and 19 in the entire year of 2024.
- The incident underscores the persistent risk to security personnel in the region, especially during and after long operations.
Local Impact:
- The explosion was heard 2 km away in nearby Kutru village, which is usually a busy route with many vehicles.
Security Concerns:
- The blast highlights ongoing threats from Maoist insurgents, especially as they adapt tactics to resist security forces.
- The lack of a road-opening party, which could have provided additional protection for the convoy, has been cited as a possible factor in the attack’s success.
