Chhattisgarh Mourns Loss as IED Blast Claims Four Brave Officers

In a tragic turn of events, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast claimed the lives of four police officers in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Saturday. The explosion marks the first Naxalite-linked incident since the state pronounced itself free of armed Maoism.

The operation was part of a demining effort by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and other security forces, who were working to locate and defuse IEDs, following intelligence reports. The blast occurred in the forest area of Aadnar village, raising alarms about ongoing Naxalite activities despite prior claims of their elimination.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma described the incident as a 'very tragic' loss and asserted that the government stands with the families of the martyred personnel. A detailed forensic investigation is underway to understand the cause of the explosion.

(With inputs from agencies.)