CoBRA officer killed, 9 commandos injured in IED blast triggered by Naxals in Chhattisgarh

An officer of the CRPF's jungle warfare unit, CoBRA, was killed while nine commandos were injured after Maoists triggered an IED blast in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, security officials said on Sunday.  They said the improvised explosive device blast took place in the Chintalnar forest area of the district around 9 pm and the injured personnel were evacuated by a helicopter around midnight.

Assistant Commandant Nitin Bhalerao succumbed to the injuries suffered in the blast while nine other commandos, including a second-in-command rank officer, were injured and have been admitted to a local hospital here, they said.

The injured troops belong to the 206th battalion of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA).

A joint team of CoBRA and local police was out in the area for a special operation when the blast took place, they said.