Dantewada IED blast probe: Four Naxalites held, three minors detained

Four Naxalites have been arrested and three teenage boys detained for their alleged role in triggering an IED blast that killed 10 District Reserve Guard jawans and a driver in Dantewada

Four Naxalites have been arrested and three teenage boys detained for their alleged role in triggering an IED blast that killed 10 District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawans and a driver in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on April 26, a police officer said on Sunday.

The four Naxalites are identified as Budhra Madvi, Jitendra Muchaki, Hidma Madkam, and Hidma Madvi- all militia members of the Malanger Area Committee under the Darbha division of the banned CPI (Maoist), he said.

Madvi, Muchaki and Hidma Madkam were nabbed on Friday while Hidma Madvi was held on Sunday.

Three teenage boys aged between 15 and 17 years have been detained for their alleged involvement in the incident, the officer said, adding the detained trio was active as "Bal Sangham" members.

A court remanded the four Naxalites to jail while the minors were sent to a juvenile home, he added.

Further investigation is underway.

In the biggest strike on security forces in Chhattisgarh in the last two years, Naxalites on April 26 blew up a vehicle carrying jawans in Dantewada district using an IED, leaving ten police personnel and a civilian driver dead.