Bastar MP escapes Maoist attack

Senior tribal leader and Bastar MP Baliram Kashyap had a narrow escape while two others were injured on Wednesday when Maoist rebels blew up a culvert, triggering a landmine blast near Chauranga village in Naxalite-infested Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.

Superintendent of Police, Narayanpur, Ajay Yadav told The Indian Express that the blast took place immediately after Kashyap’s vehicle crossed the culvert at Chauranga village, under Benur police station. His guard’s vehicle was hit, leaving sub-inspector Dewangan and a special police officer (SPO) Hiralal injured, he said adding that both the injured have been admitted to the district hospital. Kashyap was on his way to Narayanpur to attend a programme for distribution of land ownership deeds to forest dwellers. However, he returned to Kondagaon soon after the incident.

Yadav said security personnel have been sent to the spot to carry out a combing operation in the nearby areas to flush out the rebels. Traffic towards Narayanpur has been affected following damage to the culvert,he added.

Leaders of both BJP and the Congress in Bastar are in the hit list of the Naxalites ever since both the political parties extended their support to the “Salwa Judum”, an anti-Naxalite campaign which began in south Bastar three years ago. Of late, the Naxalites have been targeting Salwa Judum leaders and elected representatives who had supported and extended help to the campaign.