At least 25 CRPF personnel were killed in an encounter with Maoists in Sukma district in Chhattisgarh on Monday. The injured jawans have been shifted to hospital in Raipur. Bastar IG Vivekanand Sinha and DIG Sunderraj left for Sukma.
According to ASP Jitendra Shukla, 7 CRPF jawans have been injured in the incident. It is said that a team of 90 CRPF personnel was supporting the road construction work when the Naxals attacked the CRPF personnel. The weapons of jawans have also been looted.
An injured CRPF jawan Sher Mohammed told that initially, Naxals sent villagers to trace their location and around 300 Naxals attacked them. He told that they too replied with bullets and killed several Naxals in the incident.
Mohammed further told around 150 CRPF personnel took on 300 naxals. He said that he himself shot in the chest of 3-4 naxals.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh has called an emergency meeting later in the day. He returned to Chhattisgarh after cancelling his all meetings.
While talking to media, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh said he would hold a meeting with the senior officials and ascertain further details on the incident. He said that he would talk to Union Home Minister and Prime Minister on the issue.
Union Minister of state for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir is going to visit the spot in the wake of the gruesome attack.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter that attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. He said the government is monitoring the situation closely.
The PM further said that they are proud of valour of CRPF personnel and their sacrifice will not go in vain.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his shock, saying that extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. "My tributes to the martyrs & condolences to their families," he said. He tweeted that he spoke to MoS Home affiars Hansraj ahir who will visit Chhattisgarh to take stock of te situation.
Reacting to the incident, Congress leader Manish Tewari dubbed it as extremely unfortunate and hoped the government would act with alacrity.
The encounter took place at around 12.25 PM between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area of the worst Maoist violence-affected district in south Bastar area of the state.
Also Read | Sukma attack: PM Modi says sacrifice of slain CRPF jawans will not go in vain; C'garh CM calls for meeting
"The Naxals fired at a patrolling party of the CRPF near Burkapal village leaving six personnel injured," Special Director General (anti-Naxal operations) of Chhattisgarh Police, D M Awasthi told.
The jawans were from the 74th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), including an Inspector-rank officer, was injured in the gun battle. On March 11, 11 CRPF personnel had been killed in a similar Naxal attack.
Also Read | Sukma Naxal attack: 26 CRPF jawans killed in Chhattisgarh; Timeline of Maoist bloodbath in India
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