A District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan of the Chhattisgarh police was killed, and three others sustained injuries after an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists exploded in Bijapur district on Monday, officials confirmed.

The blast occurred in the morning in the Indravati National Park area when a DRG team, a specialized unit of the state police, was carrying out an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official said.

The deceased jawan has been identified as Dinesh Nag. The injured personnel received preliminary medical aid and are being evacuated from the forest area for further treatment, the official added.

The anti-Maoist operation, which began on Sunday, is still ongoing, and more details about the encounter will be shared later, authorities stated.