Dantewada: A video showing moments after the Naxals blew up a vehicle that was part of a convoy carrying security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Wednesday has surfaced on social media. The viral video shows moments shortly after the Naxals carried out a deadly blast that resulted in the death of ten police personnel and a civilian driver in the Dantewada district of the state.
The 23-second-long video has been shared by the news agency ANI. However, the agency cautioned that the video can’t be verified. In the video, a person can be seen crawling to the side of the road right after the blast followed by sounds of firing and explosion in the background. In the video, an unidentified person can be heard saying ”ud gaya, poora ud gaya (the whole vehicle has blown up).”
The video displays firing and counter-firing between the armed Naxals and the security officials seconds after the deadly blast that left a huge crater across the road at the blast site, almost 10 feet deep.
Biggest Maoist Attack In Last 2 Years
This was possibly the biggest strike by the Maoists on the security forces in the state in the last two years. The blast was carried out by the Naxals by using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) containing an estimated 40 kg of explosive material. The deadly attack took place under the Aranpur police station area between 1 pm to 1:30 pm when a team of the state police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P.
The area where the blast took place is around 450 km from the state capital Raipur. The Multi-Utility Vehicle (MUV) carrying ten DRG jawans was blown up between Aranpur and Sameli villages, the IGP said.
All ten jawans and the civilian driver of the vehicle were killed on the spot, he added. The MUV had been rented by the security personnel, said another official. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the bodies of the deceased were brought to Dantewada, the IGP said.
Massive Search Operation Launched In The Area
Security personnel have launched a search operation in the area, the IGP added. Around 200 security personnel were rushed To Dantewada district headquarters on Tuesday night after getting information about the presence of Maoists belonging to the Darbha division in the area. On Wednesday morning, there was an exchange of fire between the patrolling team and Naxals near Nahadi village, around seven km from Aranpur, following which two suspected Naxals were held, he said on the condition of anonymity.
Subsequently, security personnel were returning to their base in a convoy of vehicles, he said. There was a gap of around 100-150 meters between vehicles, and the Naxals targeted the second vehicle in the convoy, he said.
After the blast, the security personnel in the leading and following vehicles took positions and opened fire on both sides of the jungle, the official said. During a search of the spot, around 150 meter-long wire connected to the trigger of the command IED was recovered, the official said, adding that it seems that around 40 kg of explosive material was used. A forensic team has reached the spot.
Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Ashok Juneja held a meeting of officials of the Anti-Naxal Operation (ANO) and State Intelligence Branch (SIB) units in Raipur to take stock of the incident.
PM Modi, Amit Shah, CM Baghel Condemn Cowardly Attack
Expressing grief over the loss of life, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the fight against Naxalism was in its last phase, and the Naxals will not be spared under any circumstances. We will work in a coordinated way and eliminate Naxalism, he added. Baghel, who was scheduled to leave for poll-bound Karnataka this evening for campaigning, cancelled his visit. He attended the wreath-laying ceremony for the martyred jawans in Dantewada on Thursday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to CM Baghel following the incident. “Anguished by the cowardly attack on the Chhattisgarh police at Dantewada. Have spoken to Chhattisgarh’s Chief Minister and assured all possible assistance to the state government. My condolences to the bereaved family members of the martyred Jawans,” Shah tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack. “Strongly condemn the attack on the Chhattisgarh police in Dantewada. I pay my tributes to the brave personnel we lost in the attack. Their sacrifice will always be remembered. My condolences to the bereaved families,” Modi tweeted.
The deceased were identified as head constables Joga Sodi, Munna Ram Kadti, Santosh Tamo; constables Dulgo Mandavi, Lakhmu Markam, Joga Kawasi, Hariram Mandavi, and `secret police’ Raju Ram Kartam, Jairam Podiyam and Jagdish Kawasi. The driver was identified as Dhaniram Yadav. Most of the victims were residents of Dantewada district.
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