Four CRPF personnel, including two Assistant Sub-Inspectors, were injured in an accidental explosion during the disposal of unserviceable and leftover explosives near the Elarmadgu security camp in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on the evening of Thursday, 8 October 2026. Two of the injured sustained serious injuries.
The incident occurred near Bodrajpadar nullah (stream), approximately 200 metres from the Elarmadgu camp under the jurisdiction of Bhejji police station in the Konta range of Sukma district (Bastar division). An Ammunition Technician Team (ATT) of the CRPF’s 50th Battalion had arrived from Jagdalpur to inspect security camps at Pidmel, Dabbakonta, Kolaiguda and Elarmadgu and to safely dispose of old, unserviceable and leftover explosives stored at these locations.
While the team was carrying out the disposal operation in accordance with prescribed safety protocols, a fragment or part of an explosive device was accidentally flung from the disposal site, landed nearby and detonated. Police clarified that this was not a Maoist-triggered Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack but an accident during the controlled disposal of residual explosives. Initial reports had suggested a possible IED explosion during an area search, but this was subsequently ruled out.
The four injured CRPF personnel were identified as:
- Assistant Sub-Inspector M.K. Tiwari of the Ammunition Technician Team (serious injuries)
- Assistant Sub-Inspector Aneesh Khan of the 50th Battalion (serious injuries)
- Inspector Amarnath Mishra of the Ammunition Technician Team (minor injuries)
- Head Constable Kuldeep Raj of the 50th Battalion (minor injuries)
All four personnel were administered first aid at the site and shifted to the Government Hospital at Konta. Arrangements were made to transfer the two seriously injured ASIs to a higher medical facility for advanced treatment. Subsequent reports indicated that the injured personnel were moved from Konta to Bhadrachalam in neighbouring Telangana and subsequently to Hyderabad for specialised care. One personnel was reported to be in a critical condition in some accounts.
Sukma Superintendent of Police Mayank Gurjar confirmed the details of the accidental explosion during the disposal operation and stated that the injured had been provided immediate medical attention. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed concern over the incident, describing the news of the injuries as deeply saddening, and confirmed that appropriate treatment was being ensured for the injured personnel. Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma also acknowledged the incident.
The episode marked a rare IED-related incident in the region since Chhattisgarh was officially declared ‘Maoist-free’ on 31 March 2026. Residual explosives left from earlier periods of Maoist activity continue to pose risks during clearance and disposal operations. In May 2026, four security personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard and Bastar Fighters were killed in a similar accidental IED blast during a de-mining and area domination operation along the Kanker–Narayanpur border.
The disposal of unserviceable and leftover explosives remains a routine but high-risk task for specialised CRPF technical teams in areas previously affected by left-wing extremism. An inquiry into the circumstances of the accidental detonation is expected.
