11 security personnel injured as IEDs planted by Naxalites go off in Chhattisgarh
Raipur (PTI): Eleven security personnel were injured as improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by Maoists went off during an anti-Naxalite operation in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, officials said on Monday.
The explosions occurred in the forests of Karregutta Hills on Sunday, a police official said.
Of the injured personnel, 10 belong to the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a unit of the state police, while one was from the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA — an elite unit of the CRPF), he said.
The injured CoBRA personnel, Rudresh Singh, is a sub-inspector with the 210th battalion, the official said.
Singh and two DRG personnel have sustained injuries to their legs, while three others suffered splinter injuries to their eyes, he said, adding that the wounded men have been admitted to a hospital in Raipur.
In November last year, security forces had set up their camp in Tadpala village under the Usoor police station limits in Karregutta, which was considered a safe hideout for senior Maoists.
The Central and state security forces had carried out a 21-day-long comprehensive operation in dense forests around Karregutta Hills in April-May last year, during which 31 Naxalites were eliminated.
At the time, the forces had seized 35 weapons, 450 IEDs and a large number of detonators, explosive devices, and other materials, including medical supplies, electric equipment, Naxal literature, etc, police had said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Class 12 final exams of Odisha board begin amid tight security
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The class 12 final examinations of the Odisha board began on Wednesday amid heavy security, officials said.
A total of 4.01 lakh students are appearing for the exams being conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), Odisha, across 1,364 centres, they said.
The exams began with Science papers, while those for the Arts and Commerce streams will start on Friday. The exam will continue till March 28, they added.
A total of 2.56 lakh students are enrolled in the Arts stream, 1.14 lakh in Science, and 24,621 in Commerce, CHSE's Controller of Examinations Prasanta Kumar Parida said.
ALSO READ: Indian cricketers not shaking hands with Pakistani counterparts is 'dadagiri' by BJP, alleges Raut
There are also 5,932 students of vocational studies, he said.
The exam began at 10 am and will end at 1 pm, he added
Parida said live streaming of all examination centres has been made available, while 211 question paper hubs are being monitored with "AI technology".
Special squads have been deployed to conduct surprise inspections to check any malpractices, he added.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended greetings to all the students appearing for the examination.
"The examination is a beautiful reflection of your knowledge and hard work. There is no need to put any fear or stress in your mind for it. Remember, your performance will be of high quality only if you appear for the examination not under pressure, but with patience," he posted on X.
The practical examinations were conducted between January 2 and 15.
