Dantewada:

The 22-year-old daughter of late Chhattisgarh BJP leader Bheema Mandavi allegedly committed suicide in Dehradun, her family said here on Tuesday.

Bheema Mandavi himself had died in a blast carried out by Naxalites in 2019.

Deepa Mandavi, who was doing a physiotherapy course in the Uttarakhand capital, was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her paying guest accommodation in Karanpur area of Dehradun on January 26, a family member said.

Tragically, one of her sisters had allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a building in Raipur in 2013.

Deepa was a third-year student of physiotherapy course at a private institute in Dehradun. She was staying with some friends in a rented room, but a week ago shifted to a PG accommodation, her relative said.

According to police, no suicide note was found at the spot though prima facie the incident seemed to be a suicide.

Deepa’s mother Ojasvi Mandavi, a member of the Chhattisgarh State Women Commission, went to Dehradun with other family members after being informed about the incident. Deepa’s body was brought to Gadapal village in Dantewada where the last rites were performed on Tuesday.

Deepa had recently visited her home.

On April 9, 2019, then BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi was killed in a blast carried out by Naxalites in Dantewada district.

According to family sources, Bheema Mandavi married Ojasvi after the death of his first wife in a road accident. He had three daughters — including Deepa and her sister who died in 2013 — and a son.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over Deepa Mandavi’s death.

“The news of the sudden death of Deepa Mandavi, daughter of former Dantewada MLA late Bhima Mandavi ji and State Women Commission member Ojasvi Mandavi ji is extremely sad. I spoke to Ojasvi ji on the phone and expressed my condolences on this tragic incident. I pray to God to rest in peace the departed soul and provide strength to the bereaved family,” Sai wrote on X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The use of an improvised explosive device by Maoists to kill eight police personnel and a civilian driver –  carrying out their largest strike in two years and the first major assault of 2025 – has raised a series of questions about possible lapses in compliance with the standard operating procedure (SOP). 

The attack was carried out on Monday afternoon when security forces were returning after an encounter with Maoists in the Abujhmad region of Chhattisgarh in which five rebels, including two women, were killed. The Scorpio SUV carrying the eight personnel from the District Reserve Guard was blown up using a 60-70 kg IED in Kutru in the Bastar region and the impact of the blast was such that a 10-foot crater was formed at the spot.

The forces have said the route was sanitised and a road opening party had cleared it an hour before the convoy passed. 

Experts have, however, asked how a 60-70 kg IED, which would occupy a large amount of space, could evade detection. Was the use of polythene to wrap the explosive overlooked during demining, they asked. 

Reports have also indicated that the road opening party was deployed on only one side of the road, which could be a deviation from the standard protocol.

Another pressing question is why the sanitisation of the road was conducted an hour before the convoy passed, giving the Maoists time to plant something if they had not done so already. 

The explosive was planted between two trees, which were likely used as a marker by the Maoists, at least one of whom would have to be nearby to trigger the blast. Experts have asked how this could have been overlooked by the road opening party.  

Given earlier attacks, personnel from the District Reserve Guard are also often transported on foot or bikes instead of in one convoy to ensure that Maoists don’t get a single target. 

‘Under Review’

Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav confirmed that the incident is under review and pointed out that the Maoists keep changing their tactics.

“The impact of the blast was very high. The road-opening party and demining team were deployed, so the reasons for the IED blast are being investigated. SOPs were followed, but Naxalites continuously change their tactics,” he said.

After the attack, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo had said a thorough investigation had already begun. 

“A thorough investigation and assessment of this attack are underway. I assure you that the sacrifices of our soldiers will not go in vain. The government is fully committed to eradicating Naxalism,” he had said.

New Delhi:

Two paramilitary soldiers were killed in action after the truck in which they were travelling was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma.

The soldiers belonged to the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) special anti-Maoist unit CoBRA, the police said. They were travelling in a truck and motorcycle as part of a road-opening patrol (ROP) when the IED attack happened, the police said.

The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) had been patrolling from Silger camp under Jagargunda police station limits towards Tekalgudem.

The police said more forces have reached the area and are looking for the Maoists.

IEDs are a big threat to soldiers engaged in anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, experts have said. These crude explosives are often concealed by roadside plants in the thick jungles of Chhattisgarh, making timely detection difficult for patrols, they said.

Rajnandgaon:

A Bharatiya Janata Party worker was killed allegedly by unknown gunmen in the Maoist-affected district of Mohla Manpur in Chhattisgarh, a top police official said on Saturday. Police have suspected the role of Maoists behind the murder in the poll-bound state.

Rajnandgaon Inspector General (IG) Rahul Bhagat said the police force, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and others immediately reached the spot after receiving the information.

“In the Mohla Manpur Ambagarh Chowki district, under the Aundhi police station, Birjhu Taram was killed by unknown gunmen… Since last night, proceedings have been ongoing on the incident,” IG Bhagat told ANI on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday evening.

“We have started the investigation,” IG said, adding that the blockade has been imposed on all the routes for travel.

“The area is Maoist-affected, and we have gotten a few rounds of cartridges from the spot. It is a possibility that Naxalites may have executed this,” he said.

Earlier during the day, two Maoists were killed following an exchange of fire with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Saturday morning, a top police official said.

The official further said that the District Reserve Guards recovered two bodies of Maoists, along with arms and ammunition, in the Gome Jungle of Koylibeda police station limits today at 8:00 am.

“Kanker DRG recovered two male naxal dead bodies along with an INSAS rifle, one 12-bore rifle, and other arms and ammunition after an escalation of force (EoF),” said P Sunderraj Inspector-General, Bastar.

Polling for 20 seats in the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held on November 7 while votes for the remaining 70 seats will be cast in the second phase on November 17.

The counting of votes in Chhattisgarh, along with those in four other poll-bound states, has been scheduled for December 3.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)