Ahead of June 10 Bandh, Pressure-activated IED kills senior police officer in Bastar region

A blast caused by suspected Maoists through improvised explosive device has killed a senior police officer in Chhattisgarh on Monday morning. The blast took place in Sukma district’s Konta division when Additional SP, Akash Rao Giripunje was travelling with his men on the Konta-Errabore road. The party members were on foot patrol when a pressure-activated IED went off, causing grievous injuries to Giripunje while others were wounded as well. They were rushed to the hospital, where Giripunje succumbed to his injuries.

The Maoists have called a bandh on June 10 in protest of the recent big killings of their leaders by security forces, including their supreme commander, Basavaraj. The security forces are on a high alert and are expecting that the Maoists will try to inflict damage on police parties or government infrastructure.

According to police, operations against Maoists will continue in the region. In the past few years, especially in the last few months, because of sustained security operations, the Maoists have suffered many losses. In many ways, this part of Chhattisgarh remains their last bastion. That, too, is slipping out of their hands. Senior police officers in the region see this blast as an act of desperation and have intensified searches in the area.

Akash Rao GiripunjeBasavarajuBastarChhattisgarhMaoists