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8 jawans die as Naxals blow up CRPF truck

Raipur, May 8
Eight CRPF jawans were today killed when Naxals blew up a bullet-proof vehicle in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, the first major attack after the Dantewada ambush which left 76 security men dead a month ago.The Naxalites triggered the IED blast near Pedakodepal village on the National Highway 16 in Bijapur, 284 km from here, and fired at the security personnel, Director-General of Police Vishwaranjan said.

Eight CRPF personnel of the 168 Battalion, including a driver, who were travelling in a Tata 407 bullet-proof vehicle from their company headquarters in Murkinal to nearby battalion headquarter, were killed, he said.One jawan was injured and another was missing in the attack, the DGP said."It appears that the security personnel ignored the instruction not to travel in any kind of vehicle in the Naxal-infested areas," state Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar said.The injured have been admitted to a hospital in Jagdalpur.According to CRPF sources, an eight-foot crater was formed on the road as a result of the blast.

Naxalites had on April 6 carried out their deadliest attack, killing 76 security personnel in Mukrana forests of Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. — PTI