RAIPUR: A driver who narrowly avoided the Dantewada IED explosion in a blow-by-blow account claims that warning signs were ignored prior to the Maoist ambush that resulted in the deaths of 10 Chhattisgarh police officers and a civilian driver on Wednesday.

The driver remembered that while the convoy was travelling from Dantewada to Aranpur to pick up the jawans, they had seen several makeshift barriers on the road where children were collecting donations for a local festival. The driver recorded a spine-chilling video of the immediate aftermath of 50kg of explosives going up under a vehicle. But approximately 90 minutes later, while we were heading back, the road was deserted. Children had disappeared.

Even in the April 2021 Burkapal massacre, villages along the CRPF jawans’ route remained vacant as they returned, and there was an eerie calm before the Maoists opened fire with assault rifles.

Furthermore,

Once the Maoist lookouts observed the empty trucks leaving, they would have known the convoy would be returning jawans soon. Taking the same path back has devastating consequences.

“I was driving the second vehicle in the convoy. Life and death was a matter of a few seconds. I slowed down a little to have gutka, and the vehicle behind us overtook mine. It had gone around 150 metres ahead when a terrible blast took it out. We were jolted by the shock,” he said.

“Everything was covered in smoke and dust for a few seconds.” There were gunshots heard. “I was trembling, thinking it could have been my vehicle if I hadn’t slowed down,” claimed an eyewitness who knew Dhaniram well.

To avoid the shooting, the witnesses crawled under his Scorpio. As the Maoists fired volleys at the convoy and the dying troops, he observed eight District Reserve Guards (DRG) men in his truck get out, race through the gunfire, and take position to start a counterattack.

The driver’s footage shows DRG troops giving fire-and-manoeuvre orders to one another in order to “surround the Maoists.” “Pura ud gaya (it’s blown to pieces),” one says, referring to the car that was destroyed to pieces as bullets rang out. In fear, the driver exhales heavily. “Niklo, niklo,” a cop says, urging him to run away.

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‘I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad that I survived.’

He survived but trembles still at the thought. “I cannot forget what I saw for the rest of my life. The vehicle that overtook mine was in pieces. I saw bodies flying up and being torn apart. What fell on the road were only pieces. I couldn’t spot any Maoist nearby, but the firing went on for about 15 minutes.”

When everything fell silent, it was decided to head back to Aranpur. The driver said his hands were shaking when he climbed to the seat and held the steering wheel.

“The explosion could be heard from a long distance away.” When I stopped two more vehicles on their way to the blast site to warn them, they indicated they were aware of the attack. “The DRG and CRPF reinforcements were on foot,” he stated.

“I’m not sure whether I should be happy that I survived. So many people died. “I’m numb,” the driver admitted.

Eight of the deceased DRG men were Dantewada residents, with one each from Sukma and Bijapur.