The truck full of CRPF personnel hit the landmine as it travelled through the forested Dantewada district
Highlights
- CRPF personnel careless, ignored warnings, blames Chhattisgarh minister
- Major lapse to move without uniform, arms: Chhattisgarh Home Minister
- 7 CRPF soldiers were killed in a landmine blast by maoists in Dantewada
Hours after seven soldiers travelling in a truck were killed in a powerful landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Dantewada, the home minister of Chhattisgarh said the personnel had been careless, had ignored warnings and not followed protocol.
"It was a major lapse on part of forces to move without uniform and arms. This is violation of rules where soldiers should not move in sensitive areas unprepared," Minister Ajay Chandrakar told NDTV.
The truck full of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel hit the landmine as it travelled through the forested and remote Dantewada district, 220 miles south of the capital, Raipur. The Maoists also looted the weapons in the truck.
Mr Chandrakar said that the jawans were in civilian clothes and ignored warnings issued by the police. "They were just wandering here and there. We will conduct a meeting and make sure that jawans follow the security guidelines even if they are on leave and travelling," he said.
The blast comes after a lull in Maoist attacks in the region and some commented that the soldiers appeared to have been taken off-guard even though they were taking a route that has seen many such attacks - the road connecting Dantewada and Sukma. The personnel were unarmed and returning from a vacation. Two of the jawans who were killed were on their way to buy vegetables.
They were travelling in a regular Tata truck, not an anti-mine vehicle.
The State Home Department said it will soon give details of the attack and ensure that the soldiers follow protocol seriously.
Asked whether the police must be blamed also for not detecting the landmine in the road, the minister said: "It is not possible for us to check every inch of road."