Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], January 16 (HBTV): Two jawans were injured in a pressure IED blast planted by Naxalites near Putkel village in the Basaguda police station area on Thursday morning, according to Bijapur Police.

The injured jawans have been evacuated, and their condition is reported as stable and out of danger, police officials added. Further details are awaited.

The incident occurred as security forces intensified anti-Naxal operations in the region. On January 12, five Naxalites, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur.

During that operation, a cache of weapons and explosives was recovered from the forests under the National Park area of Bijapur district. The recovered items included one SLR rifle, one 12-bore rifle, two single-shot rifles, one BGL launcher, one locally made Bharmar gun, explosives, Maoist literature, and other Naxal-related materials.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai commended the bravery of the security forces following the encounter. Speaking to ANI, he said, 'We salute the courage of our security forces. They have been fighting strongly against Naxalism over the last year and achieving significant successes, which have been widely praised. Our Prime Minister is committed to ending Naxalism by 2026, and his mission will undoubtedly be achieved.'

This recent blast follows another IED explosion on January 11, when a CRPF jawan from the 196 Battalion Mahadev Ghat was injured while conducting area domination in Bijapur.

Previously, on the Sukma-Bijapur border, security forces recovered the bodies of three Naxals and a haul of weapons during an encounter.

(ANI)