Landmine blast injures two jawans in Chhattisgarh

Two police jawans were on Wednesday injured in a landmine blast triggered by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, as the rebels struck on the first day of the Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army week being observed by CPI (Maoist).

The explosion occurred on Wednesday morning when a joint team of Border Security Force (BSF) and district force was out on an operation under Koyalibeda police station limits, Kanker Superintendent of Police Jitendra Singh Meena said.

When the security forces were cordoning-off a forested patch near Markanar village, located nearly 300 kms in north Bastar, the Naxals triggered the blast in which two jawans were injured, Meena said.

"Assistant Constable Baijuram Potai and constable Santram Netam, belonging to district police, sustained injuries in the incident," the SP said. Reinforcement was soon rushed to the spot and the injured policemen were being airlifted to Raipur for treatment, he said.

A combing operation has been launched in the region to nab the attackers, he added. Security has been heightened across the insurgency-hit areas of Chhattisgarh, particularity in Bastar region, as the Maoists are observing the PLGA week from December 2-8 to commemorate their slain leaders. The Naxals hold meetings and gatherings during this period to spread their propaganda, recruits new members, review military operations besides carrying out attacks on security forces