Kanker: Four police officers, including a District Reserve Guard (DRG) inspector, were killed on Saturday when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated during a demining operation in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, authorities said.

The incident marks the first fatal explosion involving Naxalite activity in the state since it was officially declared free from armed Maoism on March 31. It also marks the first loss of life among security personnel conducting anti-insurgency operations this year.

The blast occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. in the forested terrain of Aadnar village, situated near the border of Narayanpur district. A joint tactical team was in the process of identifying and neutralising explosives previously laid by insurgents when the device triggered, according to Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattilingam.

Intelligence gathered from surrendered Maoist operatives had previously led to the successful recovery and disposal of hundreds of devices across the seven districts of the Bastar range. Saturday’s mission was initiated following specific reports of concealed Maoist supply caches in the Chhotebethiya region.

The Detonation

The mission was spearheaded by the DRG and included members of the Bastar Fighters and local district forces. After discovering an initial cache of insurgent materials, the team located a second site where an IED was buried underground.

The device exploded as officers attempted to extract it for defusal, resulting in the immediate deaths of three personnel. The fourth officer died later after being airlifted to a hospital in Raipur.

The deceased has been identified as:

  • Inspector Sukhram Vatti, 40, of the DRG, a resident of Bijapur.
  • Constable Krishna Komra, 35, of the district force, from Kanker.
  • Constable Sanjay Gadhpale, 29, of the Bastar Fighters, from Kanker.
  • Constable Parmanand Komra, 29, of the Bastar Fighters, from Kanker.

Investigation and Official Response

A Bomb Disposal Squad was present at the scene during the explosion. Preliminary assessments suggest an accidental circuit connection may have occurred during the recovery process. A comprehensive ballistic and forensic inquiry is currently underway to determine the specific technical cause of the blast.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma characterised the deaths as "very tragic" and emphasised that the administration remains committed to supporting the families of the fallen officers.

"They handled the device according to standard procedure, but the nature of its manufacturing was such that it triggered a powerful explosion, in which four personnel were martyred. This is a very tragic incident," Sharma told reporters in Nava Raipur. "I am deeply saddened by the loss. I pray to God for peace to the departed souls."

Security forces have since commenced a wide-scale search operation throughout the Aadnar forest to secure the area against further hidden threats.

With inputs from PTI