Naxal killed in blast while planting IED in Chhattisgarh

Sunil Padam, a Maoist militia commander, was killed when an IED that he was placing underground near Gaythapara village accidentally got activated.

Raipur: A Naxal was killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) that he was planting on a road to target security forces exploded in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, a senior police official said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday on the route of Bechapal-Hurepal villages under Mirtur police station area when rebels from the west Bastar division of Maoists were engaged in planting explosives, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

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As per preliminary information, Sunil Padam, a Maoist militia commander, was killed when an IED that he was placing underground near Gaythapara village accidentally got activated, leading to a massive explosion, the official said.

The associates of the deceased abandoned the body and fled from the spot, located over 400 km from the state capital Raipur, he said.

After being alerted, a police team searched the area.

The police recovered the rebel’s body and sent it for post- mortem, he said.

“Padam, who was active in the Bhairamgarh area committee of Maoists, was reported to be an expert in planting IEDs,” the official said.

This is the second incident in the last one month wherein Maoists have fallen prey to their own trap, the police official said.

On February 18, Somji alias Sahdev, a divisional committee member of north Bastar division of Maoists, was killed in an attempt to plant an IED in Kanker district of Bastar division, he said.