In a tragic incident on Monday in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, eight District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawans and one driver lost their lives when their vehicle was detonated by Naxals using an improvised explosive device (IED). The explosion occurred on Bedre-Kutru Road as the DRG personnel returned from a joint operation involving Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Bijapur forces.
This attack marks one of the most significant assaults on security forces by Naxalites in the past two years. Previously, on April 26, 2023, a similar attack resulted in the deaths of ten police officers and a civilian driver in Dantewada.
Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his sorrow over the incident on social media, stating that the sacrifice of these soldiers would not be forgotten and reaffirming the government’s commitment to eradicating Naxalism by March 2026. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also conveyed his condolences and described the attack as a desperate act by frustrated Naxalites due to ongoing anti-Naxal campaigns in Bastar.
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao condemned the attack as cowardly, promising that the government would fulfill its pledge to eliminate Naxalism from Bastar by March 2026.
On the same day, security forces reported five Naxals killed in a separate encounter in the Bastar region. The clash erupted as security forces conducted an anti-Naxalite operation in a forested region close to Narayanpur and Dantewada. The operation involved personnel from multiple districts and was ongoing as of Monday morning. Last year, security forces were engaged in numerous encounters that resulted in the deaths of 219 Naxalites across Chhattisgarh.
