Four CRPF personnel injured in accidental blast in Chhattisgarh, two critical

Four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured, two of them seriously, in an accidental explosion during the disposal of unserviceable and leftover explosives in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said.

The incident occurred on Thursday evening near the Elarmadgu security camp under the jurisdiction of Bheji police station, they said.

An Ammunition Technical Team (ATT) of the CRPF's 50th battalion had arrived from Jagdalpur at the Elarmadgu camp under the Konta range to inspect security camps in the area and safely dispose of unserviceable and leftover explosives, an official said.

The team was carrying out the disposal operation near Bodrajpadar Nala, around 200 metres from the security camp, while following prescribed safety protocols when a fragment of an explosive accidentally flew off, landed nearby and detonated, the official said.

Four personnel involved in security and the disposal operation sustained injuries in the blast, he added.

The injured were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector M K Tiwari and Inspector Amarnath Mishra, both members of the ATT team, along with ASI Anees Khan and Head Constable Kuldeep Raj of the CRPF's 50th battalion.

Both ASIs sustained serious injuries, the official said.

The injured personnel were given first aid immediately after the explosion and taken to the government hospital in Konta, where they are undergoing treatment.

Arrangements were being made to transfer the seriously injured personnel to another medical facility for advanced treatment, the official added.  (with inputs from PTI)