3 Security Personnel Killed in Chhattisgarh Demining Blast

Three personnel from security forces were killed and another seriously injured when an improvised explosive device detonated accidentally during a demining operation in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Saturday, authorities said.

The blast occurred around 11:30 a.m. in a forest area of Aadnar village under Chhotebethiya police station limits, near the border with Narayanpur district. A joint team including members of the District Reserve Guard, Bastar Fighters and district force had been dispatched for demining, area domination and search operations based on intelligence about Maoist dumps, according to Bastar Range Inspector General of Police P. Sundarraj.

The team first located and recovered materials from one Maoist dump. While attempting to neutralize a second device concealed underground, the IED exploded, injuring four personnel. Inspector Sukhram Vatti, 40, from Bijapur district, who was leading the team, along with Constable Krishna Komra, 35, and Constable Sanjay Gadhpale, 29, both from Kanker district, died at the scene. Constable Parmanand Komra, 29, from Kanker and part of the Bastar Fighters, sustained serious injuries and was receiving medical treatment, officials...