"cobra"

This came after Deputy Commandant yesterday had sustained splinter injury in a mine-clearing operation in Sukma, according to the P Sundarraj, Inspector General of Bastar.

Assistant Commandant Nitin Bhalerao, 33, succumbed to injuries suffered in the blast in the early hours of Sunday and nine commandos, were injured.

The encounter took place around midnight in the Barachatti forest area of the district, that is about 100 kms from the state capital here.