On April 21, a young Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) jawan attained veergati after stepping on a pressure-activated improvised explosive device (IED) in the dense forests of Bijapur district. The blast was the latest in a deadly series of attacks in the Bastar division, where the shadow of left-wing extremism continues to claim innocent lives and stall developmental efforts.
The jawan, Manoj Pujari, 26, hailed from the 19th Battalion of the CAF. He was part of a patrol team deployed to secure a road construction project between Toynar and Farsegarh, a region where basic infrastructure is both a lifeline and a battleground.
The explosion occurred in the Mormed forest, just four kilometers from the Toynar police station, as Manoj and his team were moving through a thickly wooded stretch to inspect and guard the construction site. According to officials, the IED, buried beneath the forest floor and concealed with leaves and soil, was triggered by foot pressure—one of the Maoists’ most commonly used and deadliest tactics.
The blast ripped through the forest silence, instantly killing the jawan. His team, stunned but trained for such tragedies, immediately secured the area and radioed for reinforcements. A swift search and sanitisation operation was launched, though the thick jungle terrain and looming threat of further hidden IEDs made navigation perilous.
“The Maoists are using IEDs to halt infrastructure and terrorise locals,” said a senior police officer. “Their goal is to stall state presence in the region, and sadly, it’s the brave jawans like Manoj who bear the brunt of their desperation.”
The veergati of Manoj comes at a time when the Union government has accelerated its anti-maoist operations across Bastar, and the Chhattisgarh government has adopted a multi-pronged approach combining force, development, and rehabilitation to root out Maoist violence.
Bastar has witnessed a terrifying surge in IED incidents in 2025 alone. These low-cost, high-impact explosives are the Maoists’ most reliable weapons—indiscriminately targeting both security forces and civilians. A chilling trend is visible in the district-wise data:
- April 18: Two 1.5 kg IEDs recovered in Bijapur’s Gunjeparti region.
- April 13: A massive 20 kg IED defused on the Bijapur-Ranibodli-Kattur road.
- April 9: A CRPF jawan injured in Bijapur after triggering a pressure bomb.
- April 4: One civilian dead, another injured in Narayanpur.
- March 30: A tribal woman killed in a Bijapur forest after stepping on an IED.
- March 24: An STF vehicle damaged in an IED explosion, injuring two soldiers.
This year alone has seen dozens of lives shattered, with a pattern of targeting ongoing infrastructure projects, police movement corridors, and unsuspecting villagers—especially in Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanker, and Abujhmad zones.
Officials fear that many more such devices remain buried, lying in wait along remote trails, farmland, and riverbeds. Manoj and his battalion were assigned to protect workers and engineers engaged in constructing a strategic road between Toynar and Farsegarh—vital not just for logistics, but for lifting tribal villages out of isolation. The region has long suffered from poor connectivity, making access to health services, markets, and schools difficult.
Every road carved through Bastar’s terrain represents both an opportunity and a threat—an opportunity for integration, and a threat to Maoist dominance. It is precisely this duality that makes infrastructure a target. “The Maoists know that roads will bring the government closer to the people. They thrive in isolation. That is why they use landmines and fear to block every sign of state intervention,” said a retired security analyst familiar with Bastar operations.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion that “Maoisism will be eradicated by March 31, 2026” has added urgency to counterinsurgency missions. Forces are now aggressively pursuing Maoist camps, dismantling supply chains, and monitoring movement in the interior zones.
However, the pressure has produced dual effects—while hundreds of Maoists have surrendered in recent months, fringe elements have retaliated with a wave of pressure-bomb attacks and ambushes. Maoist pamphlets recently circulated in interior villages warned locals not to climb hills, citing the presence of IEDs. Locals believe these are designed to trap patrolling forces and to instil fear among communities trying to cooperate with the state.
The Vishnu Deo Sai-led government has unveiled an updated Maoist surrender policy aimed at pulling misguided tribal youth out of the insurgency. Schemes like Loan Varratu (Come Back Home) and Poorna Narkom (Complete Surrender) provide cash incentives, housing, employment, and security to surrendered Maoists.
So far, the policy has seen considerable traction, especially in Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Sukma, but the perils remain for those caught in the crossfire—like Manoj. Manoj Pujari was just 26. He had joined the force with a dream to serve his country and help rebuild a region torn apart by decades of insurgency. That dream ended in a heartbeat on a forest trail in Bijapur.
The security forces retrieved his body and began preparations for his final rites, to be conducted with full state honours. Tributes poured in from political leaders, senior officers, and citizens alike. “Manoj’s sacrifice will not go in vain. We will not rest until Bastar is free of this red terror,” said a local leader at the Bijapur police headquarters.
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