Chhattisgarh Maoist attack: Of 10 slain soldiers, 5 were surrendered Naxals who joined police force

Chhattisgarh: Ten jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), returning in a van from a security operation, and their driver were killed when Maoists set off an IED in south Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, over 350 km from state capital Raipur, on Wednesday afternoon.

This is the biggest attack carried out by Maoists on the security forces in the state in the last two years – in 2021, 22 security personnel were killed in an ambush along the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts.

The incident took place between 1 pm and 1.30 pm Wednesday on the Aranpur road, around 50 km from the district headquarters.

The slain security personnel were from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a state force tasked to carry out anti-Maoist operations.

The jawans killed have been identified as Joga Sothi, Munnaram Kadti, Santosh Tamo, Dulgo Mandavi, Lakhmu Markam, Joga Kawasi, Hariram Mandavi, Rajuram Kartam, Jairam Podiyam and Jagdish Kawasi. The vehicle driver has been identified as Dhaniram Yadav. The vehicle they were travelling in was destroyed in the explosion.

Among the 10 jawans who lost their lives, five – of the rank of constable and head constable – were surrendered Maoists who had joined the state force after laying down arms.