3 CRPF jawans hurt as grenade launcher shell explodes

Raipur: Three CRPF jawans were today injured, one of them critically, when a shell of an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) accidentally exploded at a paramilitary camp in Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh, police said.

The incident took place this morning at the camp of 111th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Aranpur when the jawans were being issued arms and ammunition for the anti-Naxal operation duty, Deputy Inspector General of Police (south Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

“As per preliminary information, three constables identified as S Sornapalan, M Gyan Shekharan and Ram Singh, belonging to CRPF’s 111th battalion sustained injuries after the shell of a UBGL (fitted with automatic rifles) accidentally exploded,” he said.

Soon after the incident, the injured jawans were rushed to a local hospital, where the condition of Sornapalan was said to be critical, he said.