IED blasts hit anti-Maoist operation in Bijapur, 11 injured personnel airlifted to Raipur

Representative image

• 11 security personnel injured in IED blasts during anti-Maoist op in Bijapur
• Injured evacuated to Raipur by helicopter, now stable and out of danger.
• Security forces target PLGA Battalion 1 near Chhattisgarh-Telangana border

Did our AI summary help?

Eleven members of the security forces were injured in a series of improvised explosive device (IED) blasts during an anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district and were evacuated by helicopter to Raipur for medical care, officials said Sunday.

The explosions occurred in the Karegutta hills near the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, where a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) had launched an operation based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoist cadres in the area, according to a report by The Indian Express.

Security forces were focusing on the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army’s (PLGA) Battalion 1, an armed wing of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), which is believed to be operating from the hill region.

While it remains unclear whether this particular formation planted the devices, officials said the unit is still believed to have more than 100 armed members.

Ten of the injured personnel belong to the DRG, while one is a CoBRA sub-inspector. Three jawans sustained serious leg injuries, and three others suffered splinter wounds to their eyes.

“It was difficult to evacuate them from the spot due to the tough terrain, but all of them have been rescued and airlifted in a chopper to Raipur for better treatment.

All of them are out of danger. They are stable, oriented, and conscious,” said a police officer.

The injured CoBRA officer has been identified as sub-inspector G D Rudresh Singh of the 201 Battalion, who sustained a severe leg injury.

Among the DRG personnel, Shailendra Ekka and Aiyatu Potam also suffered leg injuries, while Sonam Kunjam, Ramesh Hemla, and Prakash Miccha received eye injuries.

The incident took place on the eve of Republic Day, even as security forces continue to intensify operations across Maoist-affected pockets of Chhattisgarh.

Officials said 20 Maoists have been killed so far this year. In 2024 and 2025, more than 500 Maoists were gunned down in encounters, with Bijapur accounting for a large share of these operations.

During the same period, Maoist violence claimed the lives of 42 security personnel and 117 civilians.

With a little over two months left before the Centre’s March 31 deadline for the complete eradication of the Maoist insurgency, authorities say most senior leaders of the outlawed group have been neutralised. Some have surrendered, while others are believed to have fled the state.