In the wake of ASP Akash Rao Girepunje’s tragic death in an IED explosion in Sukma’s Konta region on June 9, the Chhattisgarh government has urgently redeployed eight senior IPS officers to frontline anti‑Maoist operations. Girepunje, a decorated officer who lost both legs but remained composed, succumbed to his injuries, prompting a renewed crackdown by the state's elite force.

These officers have been tasked with spearheading combing operations, coordinating intelligence, and boosting morale amid cascading threats - another IED was discovered and defused at the same site the following day. Bastar Range's IGP Sundarraj pledged unrelenting action, affirming that Girepunje's sacrifice will fuel the push to eradicate Maoist presence .

Chhattisgarh’s leadership, including CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Home Minister Vijay Sharma, have publicly condemned the attack as a desperate Maoist tactic and vowed intensified operations.

With these new postings, the state signals a vital strategic escalation, aiming to honor its fallen officer by pushing Maoists out - and potentially reshaping the security landscape of Bastar.