Raipur
In a tragic pre-dawn ambush, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Aakash Rao Giripunje of Konta division was martyred in a Maoist-triggered IED blast during a routine foot patrol near Dondra village along the volatile Konta–Errabora road. The patrol had been launched in response to heightened Maoist activity linked to the Bharat Bandh call issued for June 10.
The powerful explosion also left Konta SDOP Bhanupratap Chandrakar and Station House Officer Sonal Gwala seriously injured. Both officers were rushed to local hospitals in Konta and later referred to Jagdalpur for further treatment.
According to sources, the IED was buried more than two feet underground—beyond the detection range of current equipment—raising serious concerns about the growing sophistication of Maoist tactics. Reinforcements have since been deployed to the area, and extensive search and domination operations are underway amid a heightened state of alert.
Scenes of heartbreak unfolded at the hospital where jawans, devastated by the loss of their battalion leader, wept inconsolably. ASP Giripunje, a 2013-batch officer from Raipur, was a decorated recipient of gallantry awards. His family, based in Raipur, is in deep mourning.
State Home Minister Vijay Sharma strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly act” and reaffirming that counter-insurgency operations would continue with greater resolve. “Such violence eliminates any scope for dialogue,” he warned.
This latest strike adds to a grim pattern of deep-buried landmine attacks that have taken numerous lives in Chhattisgarh’s red corridor. The incident underscores the urgent need for upgraded detection technologies and enhanced ground intelligence.
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