Akash Rao Giripunje
RAIPUR: An additional SP was killed and two officers were injured in a Maoist IED blast in Konta area of Bastar’s Sukma on Monday.ASP Akash Rao Girepunje, 42, a gallantry medal winner, was leading a foot patrol to an area where Maoists had torched vehicles the previous night when the IED exploded. Konta DSP Bhanupratap Chandrakar and inspector Sonal Gwalla were injured.Girepunje lost both his legs in the explosion but was composed even in the face of death and told his colleagues to alert the Sukma SP about the blast and arrange for blood for the three of them.Police suspect Sunday night’s arson was meant to set a trap for police. Initial reports indicated the IED was planted by Maoists soon after they set the earthmover on fire, knowing that a police team would be sent to the spot.Third ASP in C’garh to be killed in Maoist blast since 2011 ASP Akash Rao Girepunje marched out with a squad to the site near Dondra village, near the Andhra Pradesh border and around 500km from Raipur.The IED was planted very close to the torched vehicle. The explosion was more powerful than usual anti-personnel IEDs and blasted a crater. The 42-year-old officer took the brunt of the blast and the other two officers were also hit by shrapnel.After field treatment, they were rushed to Konta Hospital, only 3km away, where Giripunje died. The two other officers were flown to Raipur and are out of danger.Giripunje, a 2013-batch state police service officer, had received a police medal for gallantry in 2019. He was one of the bravest officers and always led from the front, said a senior officer. Only a week ago, he visited his family in Raipur to celebrate his son’s birthday – that joyful reunion has now become the family’s final memory of the valiant officer.Giripunje’s mortal remains have been brought to Raipur and the last rites will be performed on Tuesday with state honours. June 11 is his daughter’s birthday, and he had promised to come home for the celebration.Giripunje is the third ASP-ranked officer in Chhattisgarh to be killed in an Maoist IED explosion after Bhaskar Dewan in Narayanpur in 2001 and Rajesh Pawar in 2011. Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed his condolences, “This is an extremely tragic loss. I bow in respect to the supreme sacrifice of ASP Akash Rao Giripunje. His dedication to duty and courage will never be forgotten.”Bastar range inspector general P Sundarraj called it a “cowardly Maoist attack” and said: “The martyrdom of ASP Giripunje is an irreparable and deeply painful loss not only for his family but for the entire police force.”
