Sukma: An Additional Superintendent of Police was killed and two officers injured in a pressure IED blast while patrolling in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Monday, marking the first fatality of a high-ranking police officer in the state after 14 years amid intensified anti-Naxalite operations.
In May 2011, an ASP and eight other policemen were killed when Maoists blew up a tractor they were travelling in, in Gariaband district.
The latest incident indicates that the police officers walked into the trap set by Naxalites who had planted the pressure-activated Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near a burnt earth-mover.
According to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P, the explosion occurred near Dondra village on the Konta-Errabor road on Monday. The officers were patrolling on foot after police received information that Naxalites had torched an earth-mover the previous night.
The explosion occurred as the ASP approached the burnt machine, which was parked about a kilometre off National Highway 30 inside a stone quarry.
ASP (Konta Division) Akash Rao Girepunje, Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Bhanupratap Chandrakar, and Station House Officer (SHO) Sonal Gwala sustained injuries in the blast.
All were shifted to Konta Hospital for treatment. Girepunje, 42, who lost both legs in the explosion, later succumbed to his injuries. The injured officers were reported to be out of danger and airlifted to Raipur for further treatment.
“The martyrdom of Girepunje is a deeply painful one. It’s an irreparable loss to the police force. Such cowardly acts by Maoists only show their weakening strength and desperation. Their efforts to break the morale of security forces will fail,” said Sundarraj.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the officer’s death and said Naxalites would face serious consequences.
A jawan accompanying Girepunje said the contractor whose earth-mover machine was torched by Naxalites on Sunday night contacted the ASP this morning when he was at his official residence in Konta and getting ready for the gym.
After learning about the incident, the ASP called his subordinates and decided to visit the spot, located around 4 km away from Konta towards the Sukma district headquarters.
The burnt earth-mover was parked at a stone quarry, around one km from the National Highway 30.
“The ASP and his team reached the area in vehicles and walked towards the spot. When Girepunje went close to examine the machine, the IED exploded,” the jawan said.
Girepunje was conscious after the blast despite losing his legs and instructed the officers to inform the Sukma SP and arrange for blood, the official said.
He was one of the bravest officers of the Chhattisgarh Police. Originally from Raipur district, he was recruited as a Deputy SP in 2013 and served in several Naxal-affected areas, including Manpur-Mohla and Kanker, as well as in Raipur, Mahasamund, and Durg.
The mortal remains of Girepunje were shifted to Raipur for final last rites, which will be performed on Tuesday, the official said.
Reacting to the incident, CM Sai said, “Received information about the martyrdom of ASP Akash Rao Girepunje ji in the IED blast carried out by Naxalites in Konta of Sukma. This is extremely sad. I salute his martyrdom. There are reports of some other officers and jawans also being injured in this cowardly attack. Instructions have been given to ensure proper treatment of the injured.”
Taking to X, Sai said Naxalits carried out the cowardly attack out of frustration as security forces have been fighting a big battle against them in Chhattisgarh and achieving continuous success.
“They will have to face its consequences. The day is not far when their existence will end in Chhattisgarh,” he added.
Deputy CM Sharma told PTI Videos in Nagpur that Girepunje ji was martyred in the blast in the Konta area of Sukma.
“He was a brave officer and was a gallantry awardee. If a situation for talks (between Naxalites and the government) were to be created somehow, such incidents (referring to the blast) end that possibility,” he said.
Sharma said the government had clarified that they didn’t want to fire a single bullet provided Naxalites joined the mainstream, availed of the benefits of the rehabilitation scheme and contributed to the development of the society and the nation.
Sundarraj P said as the demoralised and weakened Naxalites lacked the courage to confront the security forces directly, they were conspiring to target our brave jawans, valiant officers, and innocent civilians through cowardly acts such as IED blasts.
“They are trying to kill villagers and destroy public property. However, any attempt to break the morale of the security forces will fail. The supreme sacrifice of Girepunje inspires us and sends a clear message that we will not stop until Bastar is completely freed from Naxalism,” he added.
In past similar incidents, ASP Rajesh Pawar and eight other policemen were killed in a Naxal attack in Gariaband district in May 2011. In July 2009, SP Vinod Kumar Choubey and 28 other personnel were killed in coordinated Maoist attacks in the undivided Rajnandgaon district.
