Bijapur: Amid a massive anti-Maoists operation in Chhattisgarh by the security forces, a 25-year-old woman was killed after she stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Saturday. The incident occurred within the limits of the Gangaloor police station after the IED went off as soon as the woman stepped on it.

According to the police, the deceased was identified as Shanti Punem, who was collecting tendu leaves near Mallur village, which comes within the limits of the Gangaloor police station. It is being said that she was engrossed in her work, when suddenly the incident took place, triggering a massive blast at the spot.

The scene of the blast is about 20 km from Pidia village, where 12 Maoists were gunned down in an encounter with security personnel on Friday.

After being alerted about the incident, a police team was sent to the spot, he said.

Naxalites often plant IEDs along roads, dirt tracks and in forests to target security personnel during patrolling in the interior pockets of the Bastar region comprising seven districts, including Bijapur, the official said.

Many civilians have fallen prey to such explosives laid by ultras in the past in Bastar, he said.

In Bijapur, a man was killed after a pressure IED planted by Maoists went off in the Gangaloor area on April 20, while a worker engaged in road construction lost his life in a similar blast in the Mirtur area of the same district on April 12.

In a related development on Saturday, a Maoist was killed in an encounter with security personnel in the forests along the border of Dhamtari to Gariaband districts.