Bijapur/Dantewada | Two Special Task Force (STF) personnel were killed after Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, while a woman Naxalite was gunned down by security personnel in Dantewada district on Thursday, police said.
Four STF personnel were injured in the IED blast in Bijapur, while two jawans of the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) were wounded when an improvised explosive device, planted by Naxalites, exploded in a separate incident in the same district, they said.
The IED blast in Bijapur district took place on Wednesday night in Tarrem area when a joint team of security personnel was returning after an anti-Naxalite operation in forests on the tri-junction of Bijapur-Sukma-Dantewada districts, a police official said.
Personnel of the STF, DRG -- both state police units -- the Central Reserve Police Force and its elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) were involved in the operation, launched on Tuesday based on inputs about the presence of Naxalites belonging to their Darbha and west Bastar divisions and military company No. 2, he said.
"Two STF constables -- Bharat Sahu, a resident of Raipur, and Satyer Singh Kange, of Narayanpur district -- were killed in the blast triggered by Naxalites while four other personnel sustained injuries," the official said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the incident and said the sacrifice of the jawans will not go in vain and the fight against Naxalism will continue till the menace is eradicated.
In a post on X, he said, "Received the sad news about the martyrdom of 2 STF jawans and injury to 4 jawans in an IED blast carried out by Maoists in Tarrem area of Bijapur. I pray to God for the departed souls to rest in peace and for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans".
"Naxalites have become frustrated by the operations being carried out by the state government to eliminate the menace and are resorting to cowardly acts. The martyrdom of the jawans will not go in vain. Our fight will continue till the end of Maoism," he said.
In the second IED blast in Bijapur district, which took place on Thursday, two DRG personnel were injured near Mutvendi village under Gangaloor police station area when a team of security personnel was out on a search operation, another official said.
The injured personnel were shifted to Bijapur district hospital, he said.
In a separate incident, a woman Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security forces in Dantewada district on Thursday, police said.
The gunfight took place in a forest located between Purangel and Iralgudem villages under Kirandul police station area when joint teams of security personnel were out on an anti-Naxalite operation, a police official said.
Separate teams of the DRG, Bastar Fighters, STF - all units of the state police, CRPF and its elite unit CoBRA launched the operation on July 16 in a forest located on the tri-junction of Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma district based on inputs about the presence of Maoists' Darbha division secretary Jagdish, west Bastar division member Dinesh and company no. 2 commander Vella, he said.
When one of the patrolling teams of Bastar Fighters and DRG was cordoning off the forest near Purangel and Iralgudem villages, an exchange of fire broke out between the two sides, he said.
"After the gunfight, the body of a woman Naxalite along with a weapon was recovered from the spot," the official said.
With this, 140 Naxalites have been gunned down by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year, police said.
Meanwhile, the brother of one of the STF constables killed in the IED blast in Bijapur district said he got the news about the death at 2am on Thursday but could not muster the courage to break it to the deceased's wife, before a steady stream of visitors at the home from early morning revealed it.
Mansaram Sahu (51) said he managed to tell other family members that his brother Bharat Sahu (38) was no more after getting a call at 2am but could not muster the courage to speak to the latter's wife.
When people started assembling at their homes in Raipur's Mova area, the STF martyr's wife found out about the heart-breaking incident, he told PTI.
Bharat Sahu, who is survived by his parents, wife, two daughters aged 11 and 8 and a 2-year-old son, as well as five brothers and two sisters was the only member of the family in the force.
"He was home last month and left to resume duty on July 1-2. We had no idea this would be his last visit home. We are all in shock. However, it is said that martyrs never die. They live in the hearts of the people," Mansaram Sahu told PTI.
Addressing an event organised by the RSS-linked weekly magazine 'Panchajanya' in New Delhi, Chief Minister Sai asserted his government is fighting Naxalism with "all might" for the past six months and hoped the issue of Left-wing extremism will be resolved within three years.
The senior BJP leader said 35 security camps have been set up in five Naxal-affected districts.
Deputy CM Vijay Sharma said the state government favours dialogue with Naxalites.
"The government favours dialogue with Naxalites and aims to bring them into the mainstream. I believe the Naxalism issue will be resolved in three years," Sharma said.
