The Tricolour Yatra in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region entered its second day on Thursday, with the procession travelling through areas that were once considered strongholds of Maoist violence. The journey, which began from Narayanpur on August 12, reached Dantewada via Barsur on its first day.

After an overnight halt in Dantewada, the yatra resumed on August 13 and is travelling towards Sukma and Bijapur. Hundreds of bikers are participating in the journey under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma and Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap.

Route From Dantewada to Bijapur

The second-day route begins in Dantewada and passes through Kuakonda, Bhusarās Valley, Chingavaram, Sukma, Errabor, Manikonta, Dornapal and Polampalli.

The procession will then pass through Burkapal, Minpa-Tadmetla, Chintalnar, Jagargunda, Silger and Tekalgudembefore reaching Bijapur.

Several of these locations have previously been associated with major Maoist attacks, security operations and prolonged insurgency in Bastar. The movement of a large Tricolour procession through these areas is being presented as a symbol of the changing security environment in the region.

Tributes to Fallen Security Personnel

During the journey, participants will pay tribute to security personnel who lost their lives in Maoist attacks.

Soil will also be collected from locations where security personnel were killed in major attacks. The organisers have said the initiative is intended to preserve the memories of the martyrs and highlight their sacrifice for future generations.

Burkapal, Minpa-Tadmetla, Chintalnar, Jagargunda, Silger and Tekalgudem are among the key locations where tributes will be paid during the second leg of the journey.

Areas Once Hit by Maoist Violence

Southern Bastar was for years among the regions most affected by Maoist insurgency. Armed encounters, attacks on security forces and disruption of administrative activities were frequent in several parts of the region.

The Tricolour Yatra is now passing through these same areas with a large group of participants, highlighting the government's efforts to underline improved security and greater administrative access in Bastar.

Final Leg on August 14

The third and final day of the yatra will be held on August 14.

From Bijapur, the procession will travel through Awapalli, Usur, Galgam, Nambi and Tadpala before reaching Kurreghutta Hill.

Kurreghutta was previously regarded as an area under strong Maoist influence and is being positioned as the most significant destination of the three-day journey.

The Tricolour will be hoisted on the hill on August 14, marking the conclusion of the yatra.

Message of Changing Bastar

The journey from Narayanpur through Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur is linking several areas that have witnessed years of conflict and security challenges.

By paying tribute at sites associated with the deaths of security personnel and concluding the journey with the hoisting of the national flag at Kurreghutta, the organisers aim to highlight national unity, the sacrifices of security forces and the changing situation in Bastar.

The yatra will formally conclude on August 14 after the Tricolour is hoisted at Kurreghutta Hill.

A three-day Bastar Tricolour Yatra began from Narayanpur on Wednesday, taking a large convoy of bikers through areas of Bastar that were once considered strongholds of Maoist insurgents. The yatra, organised by the Chhattisgarh BJP, will pass through sensitive parts of Narayanpur, Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur before concluding at Karregutta hill on August 14, where the Tricolour is scheduled to be hoisted.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma is leading the motorcycle rally, with Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap and a large number of bikers, including women riders, participating in the event.

Security Checks Along Route

Given the security sensitivity of the region, teams from the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) are checking the roads and surrounding areas along the yatra route. Metal detectors are being used to inspect stretches of road before the convoy passes through.

The security arrangements are particularly significant as the route includes areas that were earlier regarded as Maoist core zones.

The convoy travelled through Barsur and the Indravati Satdhar bridge, an area described as a gateway towards Abujhmad from the Dantewada side. The bikers carried the national flag as they moved through the region.

Tribute to Maoist Attack Victims

The yatra will cover locations associated with major Maoist attacks, including Burkapal, Minpa-Tadmetla, Jagargunda, Silger and Tekalgudem.

Tributes will be paid to security personnel and civilians who lost their lives in Maoist violence. Organisers also plan to collect soil from sites where security personnel were killed.

The collected soil is proposed to be preserved in a future memorial museum dedicated to those who lost their lives in the conflict.

‘One Tree in the Name of Martyrs’

As part of the ‘Ek Ped Shaheedon Ke Naam’ campaign, saplings will also be planted at selected locations along the route.

The organisers said the initiative is intended to remember the sacrifices made by security personnel and civilians while also promoting a message of peace, democracy and development in Bastar.

Women Bikers Join Rally

The yatra has also drawn participation from women bikers from different districts. Local youth, voluntary organisations, women's groups, NCC and NSS members, Nehru Yuva Kendra representatives, Scouts and Guides and public representatives are also participating.

At several locations, local residents and schoolchildren gathered to welcome the convoy. In Kadenar, schoolchildren were seen holding Tricolours as the bikers passed through the village.

The organisers said the participation of young people is aimed at highlighting a changing social environment in areas that witnessed prolonged violence.

From Maoist Zone to Tricolour Route

The convoy also passed through Dhaudai, Munjmeta, Jharagaon and Kanharagaon, among other locations. These areas have historically been associated with Maoist activity and security operations.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said the objective of the yatra is to take the Tricolour to areas where movement was once restricted because of the security situation. The programme also seeks to remember those who sacrificed their lives and encourage young people to participate in the democratic mainstream.

The yatra will continue through the sensitive Bastar belt before reaching Karregutta hill on August 14, where the organisers plan to mark the conclusion by hoisting the national flag.

Message of Peace and Democracy

Beyond being a motorcycle rally, organisers have described the event as an attempt to connect remote areas of Bastar with a broader message of national unity, peace, security and democracy.

The combination of tributes, plantation drives, collection of soil from martyr sites and interaction with local communities is intended to underline the transition the region has undergone after years of Maoist violence.

Continuous rainfall across Chhattisgarh has claimed three lives in separate weather-related incidents, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast widespread rainfall across the state over the next four days. Two young sisters were killed after the wall of an old mud house collapsed in Bemetara district, while an 18-year-old youth lost his life in a lightning strike in Sukma.

According to the Meteorological Centre, the southwest monsoon is advancing steadily and is expected to cover the remaining parts of Chhattisgarh within the next two to three days. Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is likely in several districts during this period.

The most tragic incident occurred in Raurpur village of Bemetara district, where an old mud wall collapsed following overnight rainfall. The wall fell on two sisters, Vanshika Kosle (12) and Radhika Kosle (9), who were playing in the courtyard of their house on Sunday morning. Both girls sustained severe head injuries and were rushed for medical assistance, but doctors declared them dead. A woman was also injured in the accident.

Family members said the house owner, Chandraprakash Kosle, had recently shifted to a newly constructed home. However, the old mud structure had not been demolished, and continuous rainfall weakened the wall, eventually leading to the fatal collapse.

In another weather-related tragedy, lightning struck a group of young men in Kukanar village of Sukma district. The victims had reportedly taken shelter under a tamarind tree after finishing work in the fields when a thunderstorm developed on Sunday afternoon.

The lightning strike injured five people. Eighteen-year-old Ajay Nag succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital, while the remaining four victims are undergoing treatment. Local authorities have appealed to residents to avoid taking shelter beneath trees or remaining in open fields during thunderstorms.

The IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall across most parts of Chhattisgarh on Monday, with isolated areas likely to witness heavy showers accompanied by thunder and lightning. In Raipur, cloudy skies and intermittent rainfall are expected, with temperatures likely to range between 27°C and 38°C.

The monsoon has already covered more than 18 districts, including Raipur, Durg, Dhamtari, Gariaband, Mahasamund, Balodabazar, Bemetara, Kabirdham, Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bastar, Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur. The remaining districts, including Bilaspur, Korba, Jashpur, Surguja, Janjgir-Champa, Raigarh and Mungeli, are expected to receive the official monsoon onset within the next 48 hours.

Despite the arrival of monsoon, rainfall across the state continues to remain significantly below normal. Rajnandgaon has recorded one of the sharpest deficits, receiving only 8.3 mm of rainfall against the seasonal normal of 100.3 mm, representing a 92 percent shortfall. Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki has reported a 95 percent rainfall deficit, while Balodabazar and Sakti have recorded deficits exceeding 80 percent.

Central Chhattisgarh remains among the worst-affected regions in terms of rainfall deficiency. Raipur has received only 25.3 mm against the normal 90.1 mm, while Durg, Dhamtari and Mahasamund have also recorded substantially below-normal precipitation.

The weather department has advised residents to remain alert during thunderstorms, avoid unsafe structures, and strictly follow lightning safety guidelines as rainfall activity intensifies across the state over the coming days.