In a disturbing incident from Bijapur, a key area of Naxal influence in Chhattisgarh, a female Maoist was gravely injured in an IED explosion. The blast occurred in the Bandepara jungle, under the jurisdiction of the Madder police station. The IED was reportedly planted by the Maoists themselves. After the explosion, the injured woman’s comrades deserted her, taking her weapon and fleeing the scene, leaving her to fend for herself in the jungle. Local villagers quickly reported the incident to the authorities, leading to the deployment of the Madder police team. With the aid of the villagers, the police extracted the injured Maoist from the jungle, provided initial medical attention, and transported her to Bijapur District Hospital for further treatment. Police sources identified the injured Maoist as Gujja Sodhi, a long-time active member of the Madder Area Committee, where she had served for the past 6-7 years. She was reportedly working alongside ACM Kanna Buchchana and carried a 12-bore weapon. Security forces have pointed to this event as a demonstration of the Maoists’ cruelty and internal problems, demonstrating their willingness to abandon their own members. A thorough search operation is presently underway in the affected region.
