Five jawans killed in Bastar IED blast

Five jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were killed and 14 others were injured on Tuesday after Maoists allegedly blew up a bus ferrying them in Narayanpur district of insurgency-hit Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, the police said. The improvised explosive device (IED) blast took place between Kanhargaon and Kadenar villages under Dhaudai police station limits, they added.

“The incident has also left 14 security personnel injured, including two critically, who were airlifted to Raipur,” said director general of police (Chhattisgarh) DM Awasthi. The bus carrying the personnel was passing through the under-construction Barsoor-Palli road, which is surrounded by the dense forest of Abhujmad, when the Maoists triggered a landmine blast near a culvert.

The impact was such that the bus fell off the culvert, he said.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel condemned the incident. “We will increase anti-Maoist operations in the region,” he said.