3 DRG jawans killed in IED blast during demining op in Kanker, Chhattisgarh
Synopsis
Just weeks after Chhattisgarh was declared free from armed Maoist activity, an IED allegedly planted by Maoists killed three DRG jawans during a demining operation in Kanker — raising urgent questions about the ground reality behind the state's landmark declaration.
Key Takeaways
Three DRG jawans — Inspector Sukhram Vatti , Constable Krishna Komra , and Constable Sanjay Gadhpale — were killed in an IED blast in Kanker district on 2 May 2025 .
A fourth jawan, Constable Parmanand Komra , is critically injured and undergoing treatment.
The blast occurred during a demining operation in a forested area near Chhote Bethiya police station , bordering Narayanpur district .
This is the first Maoist-linked blast since Chhattisgarh was declared free from armed Maoist activity on 31 March 2025 .
Bastar Range IG Sundarraj Pattilingam confirmed the incident and said the IED detonated unexpectedly during the neutralisation process.
Three jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED), allegedly planted by Maoists, detonated during a demining operation in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, on Saturday, 2 May, according to police officials. The blast marks the first Maoist-linked explosion in the state since Chhattisgarh was officially declared free from armed Maoist activity on 31 March.
How the Incident Unfolded
A security team had been deployed in the border areas of Kanker and Narayanpur districts to carry out demining, area domination, and search operations. The explosion occurred in a forested area under the jurisdiction of Chhote Bethiya police station, adjoining Narayanpur district, where a DRG unit was engaged in locating and defusing IEDs suspected to have been hidden by Maoists in the past.
Four members of the Kanker DRG were caught in the blast. Of them, three personnel — Inspector Sukhram Vatti, Constable Krishna Komra, and Constable Sanjay Gadhpale — succumbed to their injuries at the site, officials confirmed. The fourth injured personnel, Constable Parmanand Komra, is currently undergoing treatment and receiving necessary medical care.
What Officials Said
Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattilingam confirmed the casualties in an official statement. He noted that in recent months, security forces had recovered and neutralised hundreds of IEDs hidden across the Bastar region, based on intelligence inputs and information provided by surrendered Maoist cadres.
Point of View
A claim that now faces its first credible challenge. The fact that the IED was allegedly planted prior to that declaration does not diminish the operational risk; it underscores that legacy Maoist infrastructure remains lethally active even as the political narrative moves on. Demining is among the most dangerous phases of any counter-insurgency wind-down, and the deaths of three trained DRG personnel suggest the scale of unexploded ordnance may be larger than official assessments have communicated publicly. The state and Centre owe a transparent accounting of how many IEDs remain undetected across Bastar.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Kanker IED blast on 2 May 2025?
Three DRG jawans were killed and one was critically injured when an IED, allegedly planted by Maoists, exploded during a demining operation in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, on 2 May 2025. The blast occurred in a forested area near Chhote Bethiya police station, bordering Narayanpur district.
Who were the DRG jawans killed in the Kanker blast?
The three personnel who succumbed to their injuries at the site were Inspector Sukhram Vatti, Constable Krishna Komra, and Constable Sanjay Gadhpale. A fourth jawan, Constable Parmanand Komra, survived and is receiving medical treatment.
What is the District Reserve Guard (DRG)?
The DRG is a specialised armed force formed specifically for anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh. Its units are deployed for area domination, search operations, and IED detection and neutralisation in Maoist-affected districts.
Why is this blast significant given Chhattisgarh's recent Maoist-free declaration?
This is the first Maoist-linked blast since Chhattisgarh was officially declared free from armed Maoist activity on 31 March 2025. It raises questions about residual Maoist infrastructure, particularly IEDs planted before the declaration, that continue to pose lethal risks to security forces.
What did the Bastar Range IG say about the incident?
Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattilingam confirmed that the IED detonated unexpectedly while the Kanker District Police team was in the process of neutralising it. He noted that hundreds of IEDs had been recovered across the Bastar region in recent months based on intelligence and inputs from surrendered cadres.
