New Delhi [India], November 7 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday conducted searches at 12 locations in Dantewada and Sukma districts of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh in a 2023 case involving an IED blast and ambush attack perpetrated by armed cadres of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) terror organisation.
The searches were conducted at the premises of suspects and accused persons in the Aranpur Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast case.
The searches, NIA said, led to the seizure of several incriminating materials, including cash, handwritten letters and printed receipt books pertaining to levy collection by Naxals, along with digital devices of the suspects and accused.
"These suspects and accused persons were found linked with the CPI Maoist cadres involved in carrying out the deadly massacre.
The attack was carried out by the Darbha Division Committee of Naxals near Pedka village under Aranpur police station limits of Dantewada district on April 26, 2023.
NIA is continuing with its investigation in the case, in which two chargesheets have so far been filed against 27 arrested persons.
The arrested individuals, Dhanesh Ram Dhruw alias Guru Jee and Ramswarup Markam, were associates of Naxal members and were actively involved in providing logistical support to the perpetrators of the IED explosion, which took place on November 17, 2023, in Badegobra village of Gariyaband district in Chhattisgarh during the state assembly polls.
The blast was carried out by CPI (Maoist) cadres while a convoy of polling and security personnel was returning from village Badegobra after voting on November 17 last year. A Head Constable of the ITBP ADHOC 615 Battalion was killed in the attack, the NIA release stated.
An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) head constable was martyred in the blast, which was triggered by the assailants when the polling team, accompanied by security personnel, was returning from village Badegobra after completing the voting process.