Police jawan killed, another critical in Chhattisgarh landmine blast

A police jawan was killed, on Wednesday, and another personnel critically 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 observed by CPI (Maoist).

The explosion occurred in the morning when a joint team of Border Security Force (BSF) and district police 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 from here, in north Bastar, the Naxals triggered the blast in which two jawans of the district police force were seriously injured, Meena said.

Reinforcement was soon rushed to the spot and the injured policemen were airlifted to Raipur for treatment.

"Assistant constable Baijuram Potai died during treatment at a hospital in Raipur, while the condition of constable Santram Netam is critical," Jitendra Singh said.

A combing operation is underway in the region to nab the attackers, he said.

Security has been tightened across the insurgency-hit areas of Chhattisgarh, particularity in Bastar region, as the Maoists are observing the PLGA week from Wednesday till December 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.