Two CoBRA personnel killed in IED blast in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district

Two personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force’s jungle warfare unit CoBRA were killed after Naxalites blew up a truck with an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgah’s Sukma district on Sunday, police said.

The Naxal blast took place around 3 pm near Timmapuram village between Silger and Tekalgudem camps of security forces, over 400 km from the state capital Raipur, a senior police official said.

An advance party of the 201st unit of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) had launched patrolling from Silger camp under Jagargunda police station limits as a part of its Road Opening Party duty towards Tekalgudem, he said.

The security personnel were in a truck and on motorcycles, he said.

Naxalites triggered an IED blast targeting the truck that claimed the lives of constable Shailendra (29) and the vehicle driver Vishnu R (35), he said.

After being alerted about the blast, more forces were rushed to the spot and the bodies were being evacuated from the forest, he said.

A search operation is underway in the area, he added.