Two members of the Central Reserve Police Force's CoBRA unit lost their lives when Naxalites detonated a truck with an improvised explosive device in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday, according to police reports.
The Naxalite explosion occurred around 3 pm near Timmapuram village, situated between the Silger and Tekalgudem security camps, more than 400 km away from Raipur, the state capital, as reported by a senior police official.
An advance team from the 201st unit of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) commenced a patrol from the Silger camp within the Jagargunda police station's jurisdiction, as part of their Road Opening Party duties en route to Tekalgudem.
The security personnel were in a truck and on motorcycles, he said.
Naxalites triggered an IED blast targeting the truck that claimed the lives of constable Shailendra (29) and the vehicle driver Vishnu R (35), he said.
After being alerted about the blast, more forces were rushed to the spot and the bodies were being evacuated from the forest, he said.
A search operation is underway in the area, he added.
Another encounter between security forces and Naxalites is underway in the forests of village Amjhar and Muhkot of Khallari police station area since afternoon.
According to Dhamtari SP Anjaneya Varshney, many Naxalites have been possibly injured in the encounter.
(With PTI inputs)
