5 CRPF personnel hurt as explosives planted by Naxalites go off in Chhattisgarh

Five CRPF personnel, who were on a de-mining exercise in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, were injured in an IED blast planted by Naxals.

In Short

• A CRPF officer among 5 personnel injured in a blast in Chhattisgarh Bijapur district
• The incident occurred when a CRPF squad was out on de-mining exercise
• The troops injuries on face, eyes and above abdomen area

Five CRPF personnel, including an officer, were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast triggered by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday, officials said.

The incident occurred in the Tarrem police station area around 7 am when a squad of the CRPF's 153 battalion was out on a de-mining exercise, a police official said.

The squad belonged to the Chinnagelur CRPF camp in the area.

During the demining exercise, carried out to trace IEDs and dispose of them, security personnel spotted a wire connected to the pressure IED. When they were searching for the bomb connected to the wire, it exploded, causing splinter injuries to five personnel, he said.

The troops suffered splinter injuries on the face, eyes and above their abdomen area, a CRPF officer said.

After being provided preliminary treatment, the injured jawans were shifted to the state capital Raipur, about 430 km north from Bijapur.

The injured personnel include CRPF Assistant Commandant Vaidya Sanket Devidas, Inspector Sanjay Kumar and constables B Pavan Kalyan, Lochan Mahato and Dhole Rajendra Ashruba.

The brigade is extensively deployed in Chhattisgarh to undertake anti-Maoist operations.