Tribal woman killed in IED blast in Bijapur dist

Raipur: A tribal woman was killed by a Maoist IED near a village in Bijapur district on Sunday, less than 24 hours after a woman lost a leg in one such explosion in the same district.

Police identified the victim as 40-year-old Sushila Sodi, 40, a resident of Sodipara in Usoor, around 480km from Raipur and close to the Telangana border.

She had gone to collect mahua fruits in the forests near Bottamarka hills on Sunday evening and was on her way back when she inadvertently stepped on a pressure-activated IED planted by Maoists. Riddled with splinters, she was rushed to a community health centre but she died within minutes of treatment.

This explosion site is around 80km from where a 35-year-old woman was grievously injured while returning with mahua.

This year, four villagers have been killed and six grievously injured by IEDs. Eight security personnel have been killed and as many injured. Last year, seven villagers were killed and six critically injured in IED blasts.

Maoists indiscriminately plant IEDs in villages, forests and hill paths and blasts have become frequent, of late.

Bijapur and Narayanpur are the worst affected districts in the state.