Chhattisgarh ambush: ASP killed in IED blast as Maoists use arson as bait; officer stayed calm after losing legs | Raipur News - Times of India
RAIPUR: Additional SP Giripunje, who was killed in an IED blast in Konta region on Monday, was alive and conscious after getting severely injured and losing both of his legs; he had asked his colleagues to call seniors and arrange blood for him before succumbing to his injuries.ASP Giripunje got information about Maoists putting a poclain machine on fire on Sunday night near Dondra village on a spot at Konta-Errabore road.The owner of the machine called up SP on Monday early and informed him about the incident. Giripunje was at his residence in Konta and was preparing to go to the gym, said an officer. He called his colleagues and decided to visit the spot, which was about 3.5 kms from Konta. They walked one km inside the NH-30 to reach the spot. "After the blast, the ASP was conscious and told the jawans, who were present there, to inform Sukma SP about the incident and asked him to arrange blood for him," a jawan told a local scribe. Sukma SP Kiran Chavan said that there was a lot of blood loss as both legs were completely destroyed in the blast. The ASP was alive for 15-20 mins till he was brought to hospital but he succumbed soon after, he said.ASP Akash Rao Giripunje, 42, was a 2013-batch state police service officer and recipient of the 2019 police gallantry medal.
Known for his fearless leadership, he was leading a foot patrol to investigate Maoist arson near Dondra when the ambush occurred. Two other officers — Konta DSP Bhanupratap Chandrakar and Inspector Sonal Gwalla — were also injured in the explosion. Giripunje had returned from Raipur just a week earlier after celebrating his son's birthday — a final joyful memory for his family. Police believe the Maoists set fire to the vehicles specifically to lure security forces into a booby-trapped zone. Initial findings suggest the IED was planted shortly after the arson, confirming the blast was a premeditated ambush. Giripunje’s death marks the third instance of an ASP-ranked officer killed in a Maoist IED blast in Chhattisgarh, after similar attacks in 2001 and 2011.
