IED event in Chhattisgarh, Bijapur area, India on Wed 15th February 2023

Eight Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, including three women, were arrested in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on February 15, hours after a new Police camp in Gundam under the Tarrem Police Station area was attacked with a country-made UBGL (under barrel grenade launcher), reports etvbharat.com. Following the attack, an encounter took place between the Maoists and the Security Forces (SFs). In a search operation launched by the SFs, six Improvised Explosive Device (IED) bombs weighing five kilogrammes each were recovered. Bastar Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sunderraj P said, "New police camps are being set up in the core areas, resulting in Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists, LWEs] being in panic." Acting on a tip-off about Maoists returning in a tractor after celebrating Bhumkal Diwas in Peediya and Hallur, an operation was launched. After seeing Police, people riding a tractor near Matwada High School in the Jangla Police Station area jumped off the vehicle and tried to run away. However, the Police managed to arrest eight suspected Maoists, including three women. The arrested Maoists are said to be members of the Bhairamgarh Area Committee. They have been identified as Ramesh Kovasi (36), Sampath Oyam (32), Ando Vekko (21), Raju Vekko (19), Ranu Ursa (28), Rita Madkam (19), Pandey Oyam (30), and Sushila Kadati (26). Police also recovered explosives, batteries, battery chargers, wireless sets, radios, Maoist uniforms, medicines, firecrackers, and items of daily use from their possession.