By IANS,
Raipur: Four people were killed Sunday when a powerful landmine blast set off by Maoists ripped through a truck on the national highway in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, police said.
“A truck was blown to pieces in a powerful landmine blast close to Kerlapal area on national highway 221 in Dantewada district in which four civilians – daily wagers and the vehicle owner – were killed, but it’s difficult to identify the victims as the bodies were in pieces,” District Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra told IANS.
The site is located some 450 km south of capital Raipur.
Police said they were anticipating such attacks and have toned up security arrangements across the state as the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) is observing week-long anniversary celebrations from Dec 2-8 of its military wing, the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA).
Officials here at police headquarters said that security has been further scaled up Sunday after the blast on Sukma-Konta national highway 221 in Dantewada district and national highway 16 in Bijapur district amid intelligence reports that guerillas have planned for more such bombings in these two violence-hit districts.
Police say more than 1,500 people were killed in the state in Maoist violence since 2004.