On Thursday, Maoists blasted a sports utility vehicle and killed one person injuring 11 others. They were travelling using an improvised explosive device in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Dantewada district. 

The incident occurred at around 7.30 am near Ghotiya village under Malewadhi police station limits, around 400 km from the state capital Raipur, on an under-construction road that connects Narayanpur to Dantewada, the district’s Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Pallava said.

According to officials, they suspect the rebels might have planned to target security forces, but mistakenly attacked the civilian vehicle.

He added, Police never use a four-wheeler while moving on that route.

The official said further that the victims were travelling to neighbouring Telangana.

“The vehicle, a Bolero, came under the impact of the IED blast, causing injuries to all 12 occupants, including a woman. Of them, two were critically injured, while 10 others received minor injuries,” the official said.

A team of security personnel from a nearby camp rushed to the spot and shifted the injured people to the district hospital.

“One of the seriously injured persons, identified as Dhan Singh, who hailed from neighbouring Balaghat district (in Madhya Pradesh), succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the hospital,” the official said.

The victims belonged to Rajanandgaon district (Chhattisgarh) and Balaghat (MP), and were going to Telangana for some personal work.