Two police personnel killed, one civilian injured in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

Two police personnel were killed and one civilian injured after Maoists open fired on the Tongguda camp in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday. The incident took place when the policemen, onboard a motorcycle, were going out of their camp for patrolling in Tippapuram village, under Pamed police station area. The deceased cops, who were posted in the District Reserve Guard (DRG) force of the Bijapur district, have been identified as Arvind Minz and Sukku Hapka. The civilian, who received injury, was admitted to the nearby Akhila Hospital and is undergoing medical treatment.

"Bijapur: Two police personnel of Bijapur district force killed by Naxals near Tongguda camp. One civilian injured," the news agency ANI reported.

Bijapur: Two police personnel of Bijapur district force killed by Naxals near Tongguda camp. One civilian injured. #Chhattisgarh

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2019

Speaking to media, Deputy Inspector General (anti-Maoist operations) Sundarraj P said, "A 'small action team' (typically comprising four-five rebels) of Naxals opened fire on them, leaving constable Arvind Minz and assistant constable Sukku Habka dead on the spot". Soon after the incident, the secuity forces were rushed to the spot, he added.

On April 9, in a similar attack by the Maoists, BJP legislator Bheema Mandavi, who represented Dantewada seat in the Chhattisgarh Assembly, died alongwith four security personnel when their vehicle was blown up with an improvised explosive device (IED) near Shyamgiri in the district. The attack came two days ahead of polling in the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency.

Bijapur is one of the most Maoist-hit areas in Chhattisgarh. Koriya, Surguja, Jahpur, Korba, Janjgir, Dhantar, Uttar Bastar Kanker, Bastar, Dakshin Bastar, Dantewada, and Narayanpur are other parts of the state that experience considerable Maoist insurgency.