Chhattisgarh: CISF personnel among five killed in Dantewada blast

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and four others were killed and two others injured on Thursday when Naxals triggered a blast on a bus near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada, according to reports. The tragic incident happened days before the state goes to polls for first phase on November 12.

“A bus carrying Central Industrial Security Force men was returning from Kirandul Dantewada market when an IED blast blew it up, killing four people,” police said in a statement. Two people were injured in the attack and were rushed to a hospital in Bachel.

"Morale of the forces will not be affected due to such attacks. The upcoming assembly elections will be conducted peacefully," said V Sinha, IG Bastar.

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#UPDATE 4 casualties in the incident where naxals triggered a blast on a bus near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada. 3 civilians and 1 CISF personnel have lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/nN21686y7o

— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018

Visuals from Chhattisgarh: 3 civilians and 1 CISF personnel died in the incident where naxals triggered a blast on a bus near Bacheli in Dantewada. Visuals from the hospital. pic.twitter.com/lRMjW26aSw

— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018

Earlier, Union Home Ministry ordered the deployment of as many as 25,000 troops for election duty in poll-bound in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. These 250 companies of the forces are in addition to paramilitary forces deployed in these states for conducting anti-Naxal operations and assisting in other law and order duties. 

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Chhattisgarh already has about 40 battalions (about 1,000 personnel in each) of the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force deployed full-time to counter the LWE menace.