Chhattisgarh Armed Force constable deployed for road project dies in blast
RAIPUR: A 26-year-old constable of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) lost his life in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Chhattisgarh's Maoist-affected Bijapur district on Monday, police said.
According to a statement issued by the Bijapur police, the blast occurred between Toynar and Farsegarh villages, where a CAF team had been deployed to provide security for an ongoing road construction project. The road, meant to improve connectivity in the remote region, is currently being built between the two villages.
The victim, Manoj Pujari (26) was part of the CAF's 19th battalion and he inadvertently stepped on an IED planted by Maoists, leading to the fatal blast.
Police have launched a search operation in the area following the incident.
The IEDs planted by Maoists remain a major threat in the Bastar region, which comprises seven districts including Bijapur. Insurgents frequently bury explosive devices along roads and forest paths to target security forces conducting patrols. Civilians have also fallen victim to these deadly traps.
On April 9, a CRPF jawan was injured in an IED blast in Bijapur. On April 4, a 25-year-old man died, and another person was injured in a similar explosion in Narayanpur district. On March 30, a 40-year-old tribal woman lost her life to a Naxal-planted IED in Bijapur.
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