Raipur: In yet another tragic loss of life in Bastar’s Sukma district, a woman villager who had gone in a nearby forest died after she accidently stepped upon an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Maoists on Sunday’s afternoon, August 11.
The deceased woman has been identified as Kawasi Sukki, a resident of Dabbamarka village under the Kistaram police station limits of Sukma who had gone in the nearby forest for cattle grazing when she unknowingly came in contact with the IED triggering a strong explosion which proved fatal for her. Such was the intensity of the explosion that it led to a ditch at the explosion site along killing the woman on the spot instantly.
The development has taken place days after the Maoists outfit issued an apology for deaths of two children who were also killed in similar IED explosion planted by the banned group in July this year. However, hours after the press release a similar explosion has led to the demise of another innocent villager.
Upon receiving information about the incident a police team then rushed to the spot and sent the body of the woman for an autopsy. A case related to the incident has been registered in the Kistaram police station and the matter is being investigated by the police.
The incident underscores the chilling reality of villagers residing in the areas infested by Maoists where incidents like such keep occurring on regular intervals leading to loss of countless lives.
Civilian causalities due to IED explosions
Significantly, the cadres of the banned outfit plant camouflaged IEDs in pathways lading to interiors of forests with an aim to cause harm and restricting the forward movement of security forces. However, the IEDs planted by the Maoists often proved fatal for the local villagers who tend to visit the forest areas to pluck Tendu Patta leaves and storing other forest produce critical for their livelihood.
Earlier the Organiser on July 29 reported about a similar incident where a 10-year-old kid was struck by an IED explosion in Mutwendi village of Bijapur. The incident occurred after the deceased kid identified as Hidma Kawasi accidently stepped upon an IED leading to an explosion.
Kawasi was then immediately rushed to the nearest healthcare facility in a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security camp and was subsequently shifted to Bijapur district hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
In a similar incident a women identified as Shanti Punem of Mallur village of Bijapur had met with similar fate when she accidently stepped upon an IED planted by the Maoists in Gangloor area on May 11. The fateful incident occurred when Punem was plucking Tendu Patta leaves in the nearby forests of Mallur.
Notably, a total of five civilians have been killed while 6 have received critical injuries in separate IED blasts that have occurred across the state marred by Maoist insurgency in this year alone. Other than the civilian casualties two security personnel have also lost their lives in IED explosions occurred during combing operations in the same period.
