Teen injured as IED planted by Naxalites explodes in Chhattisgarh

A 16-year-old boy was injured after stepping on an IED planted by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district while grazing cattle. Police warned civilians to stay alert in forest areas where Maoists frequently plant explosives targeting security forces

Bijapur: A 16-year-old boy sustained injuries after an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites went off in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said on Sunday.

The blast took place on Saturday evening when the victim, a resident of Kondapadgu village under Bhopalpattnam police station limits, had ventured into a nearby forest to graze cattle, an official said.

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The official said the boy inadvertently came in contact with the IED, which exploded, injuring his legs. The boy was admitted to the Bijapur district hospital, he said.

The Maoists often plant IEDs on dirt tracks to target security personnel who use these routes during anti-Naxal operations inside forests. Civilians have fallen prey to such traps laid by ultras in the past in the Bastar region, police said.

Police have appealed to the public to be extra cautious while visiting forest areas and immediately inform the police station or the nearest security camp about any suspicious objects or activities.

On July 13, three persons, including a minor girl, were injured in a similar incident in the Madded area of Bijapur. Around 25 people have lost their lives in Maoist violence in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur, so far this year.