Raipur: Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device that claimed the life of Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Giripunje of Konta Division in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.
State Home Minister Vijay Sharma confirmed the death and expressed his profound grief. He said Giripunje was a 2013 batch officer and a brave soldier.
Several other soldiers on patrol were injured in the blast. Reports indicate that Konta Town Inspector Sonal Gwala sustained injuries, and security forces have been deployed to the area to secure the site and provide reinforcement.
According to reports and police sources, ASP Giripunje was critically wounded and later succumbed to his injuries. The attack took place following a Bharat Bandh call given by the Maoists on June 10.
ASP Giripunje was leading a foot patrol with his team along the Konta-Errabor road after setting up a security camp when they encountered the blast near Dondra.
The explosion caused multiple injuries, and the wounded officers are receiving treatment at Konta Hospital.
Deep-planted IEDs remain a major threat to security forces operating in insurgency-affected areas.
Reports indicate that detection equipment struggles to identify explosives buried beyond two feet underground. This was the case in the Bijapur Naxalite attack, where an IED buried five feet below the surface led to the deaths of eight soldiers and a driver.
Security protocols mandate that road-opening parties and bomb disposal squads conduct preliminary sweeps before troop movements.
Despite these measures, deeply embedded explosives continue to pose grave risks to personnel.
Several previous Maoist attacks involving IEDs have resulted in substantial casualties.
In January 2025, nine soldiers lost their lives in an explosion that targeted a security convoy.
In April 2022, an attack claimed eleven lives.
In March 2021, a bus carrying soldiers was bombed, leading to five deaths and injuries to 11 others.
In April 2019, a legislator’s vehicle was targeted in Shyamgiri, Dantewada, resulting in five fatalities.
In November 2018, a similar explosion in Bagheli village of Chhattisgarh claimed five lives.
Reinforcements have been sent to prevent further violence in response to this latest attack to prevent further violence.
The loss of ASP Giripunje underscores the urgent need for advanced detection technology and enhanced protective measures for security personnel.
(IANS)
