Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for introducing quota for children of COVID-19 warriors in the medical and dental colleges under the central pool.

"Thank you PM @narendramodi Ji for introducing a new quota for 'Wards of COVID-19 Warriors' in MBBS and BDS seats under the central pool. It is a great honour for the sacrifice of #CovidWarriors who selflessly dedicated their lives for the service of the nation in these difficult times," Sudhakar tweeted.

Announcing the quota in recognition of the service rendered by the COVID-19 warriors during the pandemic, the Centre said it would mention the reservation in the guidelines for selection and nomination of candidates for MBBS seats for the financial year 2020-21.

The Centre said the five MBBS/BDS seats have been reserved.

Selection of the candidates would be made through online application on the basis of rank obtained in the NEET-2020.

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Kanker (PTI): Three personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), including an inspector, were killed and another jawan was injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) went off while they were trying to neutralise it in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, police said.

This was the first blast incident linked to Naxalite activity in the state since the country was declared free from armed Maoists on March 31.

The explosion occurred in a forest area under Chhotebethiya police station limits, near the Narayanpur district border, when a DRG team was conducting a demining operation to locate and defuse IEDs planted earlier by Naxalites, a police official said.

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During the operation, the security personnel detected an IED. However, the explosive went off while they were in the process of defusing it, seriously injuring four personnel, he said.

Inspector Sukhram Vatti, constable Krishna Komra and constable Sanjay Gadhpale succumbed to their injuries on the spot, the official said.

Another injured constable, Parmanand Komra, is undergoing treatment and receiving necessary medical care, he said.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam said, based on inputs from surrendered Maoist cadres and other intelligence over the past few months, security forces had recovered and neutralised hundreds of IEDs planted earlier by Naxalites across the Bastar range, comprising seven districts, including Kanker.

"However, in today's unfortunate incident, the IED accidentally exploded while the Kanker district police team was trying to defuse it, resulting in the death of three personnel and serious injuries to one," he said.