15-year-old boy injured in Maoist-planted IED blast in Chhattisgarh

Raipur/Bijapur, Jan 5 A 15-year-old villager sustained severe leg injuries on Monday morning after stepping on a pressure-activated Improvised Explosive Device (IED) allegedly planted by Maoists in the forested area between Lendra and Korcholi villages in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.

The victim, Ram Potam, son of the late Lachhu Potam and a resident of Korcholi Nadipara village under Gangalur police station, had ventured into the forest early in the day when the blast occurred.

The explosion caused critical injuries to his leg, highlighting the persistent danger posed by hidden IEDs in Maoist-affected zones, police officials said.

Security personnel from the 222 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) stationed at the Korcholi camp promptly responded, providing first aid to the injured boy before evacuating him to the District Hospital in Bijapur for advanced treatment, they said.

Authorities have intensified search operations in the region, with security forces conducting extensive combing and IED neutralisation drives to secure the area and prevent further incidents.

Police have issued a strong appeal to locals: "Exercise extreme caution while travelling in forest and remote areas. Immediately report any suspicious objects, activities, or materials to the nearest police station or security camp."

Similar incidents have occurred in past and pose a threat to civilians in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division, where Maoists frequently plant pressure IEDs along paths and forests to target security forces and deter development activities.

Bijapur remains one of the most Naxal-affected districts, with frequent recoveries of explosives and encounters. This blast comes amid heightened anti-Maoist operations across the region, aimed at eradicating Left-Wing Extremism.

The district also witnesses frequent incidents highlighting the encounters between security forces and Left-Wing Extremists.

Security forces achieved a major success on January 3, neutralising 14 Maoists in separate encounters across Bijapur and neighbouring Sukma districts. In Bijapur specifically, two Maoists were killed in a gun battle that began early morning in the southern forested region, based on intelligence about the armed cadres.

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