A police jawan was killed while another was critically injured when a land mine planted by Maoists went off in insurgency riddled Kanker district on Wednesday.
“The incident occurred near Markanar village about three kms south of Koylibeda police station when a joint team of Border Security Force (BSF) and District Force (DF) was undertaking combing operation in the region,” Kanker Superintendent of Police Jitendra Singh Meena said.
Assistant constable Baijuram Potai and Constable Santram Netam of DF were injured in the blast. Soon after the incident, security forces retrieved both injured jawans and Potai was airlifted to Raipur, the SP said adding Potai succumbed to injuries during treatment in a private hospital in Raipur.
Netam’s condition is critical and he is presently under medical observation, Meena informed. Additional force was pressed into the region for intensifying the operation, police said.
Notably, Naxals are observing PlGA week from December 2 to 8 this month.