CAF trooper martyred in IED blast in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, April 21 (IANS) In a tragic incident in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a soldier of the 19th Battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) was martyred in an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion, officials said on Monday.

The blast, planted by Maoists, occurred between Toynar and Farsegarh villages near Mormed forest area.

The brave soldier Manoj Pujari, aged 26, was part of a CAF team patrolling the area to ensure the safety of road construction work along the Toynar-Farsegarh route, the officials added.

The explosion took place in the forested region of Mormed, nearly four km from Toynar police station.

According to officials, Manoj stepped on a pressure bomb planted by Maoists, triggering the fatal detonation.

The CAF team had been deployed to protect the road construction project, which aims to benefit local villagers.

Upon receiving news of the incident, security forces promptly mobilised to the site, and a search operation is currently underway in the region.

Authorities have condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act by Maoists who frequently use pressure bombs to target security personnel in Maoist-affected areas.

Such tactics have claimed the lives of numerous soldiers and left many others injured.

Officials confirmed that the body of the fallen soldier is being retrieved from the forest, and efforts to combat Maoist activities in the area are ongoing.

In a related incident earlier this year, Maoists targeted a vehicle carrying soldiers in Bijapur district, resulting in the martyrdom of eight Dantewada DRG (District Reserve Guard) personnel and a driver.

On April 9, a jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) sustained injuries in an IED blast in Bijapur district.

The incident occurred while the jawan was on duty in a Maoist-affected area, where such explosive devices are often planted to target security personnel.

The injured jawan was immediately evacuated and provided medical attention.

On April 4, in another tragic incident in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh, a 25-year-old man lost his life, and another individual sustained injuries in a similar IED explosion.

The blast, believed to have been plant by Maoists, who often place IEDs along roads or trails to inflict harm on unsuspecting civilians and security personnel alike.

An earlier incident on March 30 in Bijapur district claimed the life of a 40-year-old tribal woman.

The woman fell victim to an IED explosion while traversing a forested area.

The device, planted by Maoists, detonated unexpectedly, leaving no chance for survival.

--IANS

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