New Delhi: Over 55 kg of explosives was packed under a pucca black top road using a method called ‘fox digging’ for months, which was then finally triggered to cause a blast that killed 10 District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and one civilian driver in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada Wednesday afternoon, ThePrint has learnt.
According to a source in Chhattisgarh police the IED that blasted causing a massive crater on the Aranpur-Jagargunda road, had been there for over two months but went undetected, despite frequent demining exercises by the security forces in the area.
In fact, a demining exercise was carried out just four days ago on the same route, but the IED could not be detected.
“It was camouflaged very well. It is a black top road where the security forces carry out demining exercises regularly. But this could not be detected despite a similar exercise just a few days ago,” the source said.
Explaining how the explosives must have been packed under the road, the source said that the Maoists used the “fox digging method” in which they start digging a hole from the side of the road and make it deep to create a cavity. That is where they then pack in the explosives, the source said.
“To pack this much explosive certainly would have taken time,” the source said.
“There is not much habitation in the area. The Maoists must have done it during the night. We have questioned the locals from nearby villages and it appears that this IED has been there for the last two months,” the source added.
Among the 11 killed were Joga Sodhi, Munna Ram Kadti, Santosh Toma, Gullo Mandawi, Lakhmu Markam, Joga Kawasi, Hariram Mandwi, Rajuram Kartam, Jairam Podiyam and Jagdish Kawasi. The driver has been identified as Dhaniram Yadav.
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IED triggered from 100 m away
A second police source said that the IED was triggered from 90- 100 meters away from the spot using a circuit device. The IED used in the blast was a “Command Wire IED”, the source said. A command wire IED is one which is triggered manually by using a circuit.
“Initial investigation has revealed that there were two to three people who triggered the blast from 90 to 100 meters. We have found parts of a circuit in the area. A search operation has begun in the adjoining areas,” the source said.
“We have collected the soil to ascertain the nature of the explosive used and have sent it for testing,” the source said.
Personnel returning after arresting two Maoists
According to the second source, the personnel were on their way back in different vehicles after a successful operation, in which two Maoists got injured and were arrested, and the Maoists could have decided to blast the IED in retaliation to that action.
The two Maoists, however, were in another vehicle.
“There were intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the area following which the DRG team went for an operation. There was exchange of fire in the operation and the team successfully nabbed two Maoists who were injured in the firing,” the source said.
“After the operation, the teams left in different vehicles and the two Maoists were in the other vehicle,” the source said.
The source added that the Maoists who triggered the blast were waiting for this vehicle to cross the spot on the road.
“They waited for the vehicle to cross the spot and the moment this van reached that area, they triggered the IED causing the blast. The magnitude was such that. The vehicle was charred within minutes and there was a massive crater on the ground,” the source said.
Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “It is very saddening. My condolences to the bereaved families. This fight is in its last stage. Naxals won’t be spared.”
Previous incidents
Incidents of security personnel getting killed in IED explosions have been on the rise since February this year.
On 25 February, three personnel from the DRG were killed in the Sukma district. Earlier in the same week, two were killed in Rajnandgaon and one in Dantewada, according to official data. Another 43-year-old member of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) was killed in an IED blast in the Orchha Development Block of Narayanpur the same week, the data shows.
According to police sources, the number of IED detections has also gone up in the last few months. The police, however, said that this was because of Maoists now getting “desperate”.
“More detections are happening because we have increased operations in the areas and this is what is disturbing the Maoists,” a senior police officer told ThePrint Wednesday, on condition of anonymity.
(Edited by Anumeha Saxena)
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