Bijapur, 6 Jan

Eight jawans of District Reserve Guards (DRG) and a civilian driver were killed after Naxals blew up their vehicle with an improvised explosive device in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Monday, police said.

The incident took place near Ambeli village under Kutru police station when the security personnel were returning in their Scorpio vehicle after an anti-Naxalite operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said.

The DRG is a unit of the state police.

This is the biggest strike on security personnel by Naxalites in the last two years, an official said.

On 26 April, 2023, ten police personnel and a civilian driver were killed after Naxals blew up their vehicle, which was part of a convoy carrying security personnel in neighbouring Dantewada district.