Team News Riveting
Raipur, June 9
An Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) was martyred when a landmine planted by the Maoists exploded in Konta region of Sukma district on Monday morning.
The officer, Akash Rao Giripunje along with SDOP and Station House Officer (SHO) of Konta were patrolling on Arrabore-Konta road when the incident took place. Sources said the ASP had come to investigate the incident of a construction machine being set on fire at the Chikwar Guda mine. The rebels had struck at the mine and torched machines and equipment.
While the police officials were on foot, an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the Maoists exploded. Giripunje, along with SDOP and SHO were seriously injured in the blast.
They were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital where Giripunje died while undergoing treatment. The condition of the other two officers was reported to be critical. The authorities are planning to shift them to the state capital or Jagdalpur for better medical care.
Giripunja hails from Raipur city and has had his school education in Kali Badi school. His family was in the state capital when the incident took place.
The incident is seen as an outcome of frustration of the Maoists after their senior cadre were killed in aggressive anti-Maoist operations underway in the Bastar region. The security forces on May 21 eliminated banned CPI (Maoist) general secretary and top gun of the outlawed organisation, Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju in Chhattisgarh’s Abhujmad.
Before the Maoists organisation could select its next leader or overcome from losing its head, it received another blow when another central committee member Sudhakar was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bijapur district on Friday.
