Raipur: Bodies of 17 of the 18 jawans missing after an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh have been recovered from the site of the skirmish, police said on Sunday.
The number of security personnel killed in the encounter has gone up to 22, police said.
“On Sunday, bodies of 17 missing personnel were recovered during a search operation. With this, total 22 personnel have been killed in the gunfight,” a senior police official said.
The bodies of three jawans who were reported killed on Saturday were also recovered, he said, adding that the search operation was still on in the forest.
The body of a woman Maoist was also recovered from the encounter spot.
“Separate joint teams of security forces, over 2,000 in number, had launched a major anti-Naxal operation from Bijapur and Sukma districts in the South Bastar forests, considered as the Maoist stronghold, on Friday night,” state’s Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) OP Pal said.
The personnel belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the operation launched from five places – Tarrem, Usoor and Pamed (Bijapur) and Minpa and Narsapuram (Sukma), he said.
“Around noon on Saturday, an encounter broke out between the patrolling team that was dispatched from Tarrem and ultras belonging PLGA (Peoples’ Liberation Guerilla Army) battalion of Maoists near Jonaguda village under Jagargunda police station area (in Sukma),” Pal said, adding the gunfight lasted for about three hours.
As per the information received so far, five security personnel have been killed and 30 others injured, he said.
“Among the martyred personnel, one belonged to the CoBRA unit and two each are from the DRG and the ‘Bastariya’ battalion of the CRPF,” the DIG said.
He said seven injured personnel were airlifted to Raipur and admitted to hospitals there while 23 others are undergoing treatment in the Bijapur district hospital.
“Some jawans are reported to be missing following the encounter and efforts are on to trace their whereabouts,” he added.
Citing the “ground report”, Pal claimed that Maoists have suffered a huge loss in the gunfight.
This was the second major Naxal incident in the state in the last 10 days.
On March 23, five DRG personnel were killed when Naxals blew up a bus carrying the security personnel with an IED in Narayanpur district.
On March 21 last year, 17 security personnel, including 12 from DRG, were killed in a Naxal ambush in Minpa area of Sukma district.
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Leaders offer condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel offered condolences over the attack.
Condoling the death of the security personnel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said their sacrifices will never be forgotten.
“My thoughts are with the families of those martyred while fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The sacrifices of the brave martyrs will never be forgotten. May the injured recover at the earliest,” Modi said in a tweet.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel condemned the incident and said the martyrdom of the jawans will not go in vain, and the anti-Naxal operation will be intensified, an official statement said.
“Our jawans have displayed exemplary courage by inflicting massive damage on Naxals (in this incident).
Operation against Naxals will be intensified,” the CM said.
Baghel directed officials to ensure the best treatment to the injured jawans, the release said.
Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed condolences on Twitter. “I bow to the sacrifices of our brave security personnel martyred while fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. Nation will never forget their valour. My condolences are with their families. We will continue our fight against these enemies of peace and progress. May injured recover soon,” Shah tweeted.
With inputs from ANI
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According to news reports, a large number of Naxals ambushed security forces comprising of State police and CRPF, on Saturday, 3 April 2021, at Sukuma-Bijapur border in Chhatisgarh. About 22 jawans of security forces are reported to have been martyred, while 31 injured jawans were hospitalized. The number of missing is said to be 1 or more. Naxals , who were in large number , are reported to have used light machine guns and rocket launchers and opened fire from hilly area in top. They also lost 15 to 20 personnel of their cadre, besides some injured. On the whole, the details of the encounter suggest some new strategy by Naxals. Let us pray for peace to the departed souls of security forces Jawans , early recovery of those in hospitals. In this context, it may be apt to refer readers to this Vedic astrology writer’s one of predictive alerts in article published at english.nirpakhawaaz.in on 3 April, 2021, as follows:-
Major worrisome concerns in India during a period of nearly two months from about 7 April to 31 May 2021, calling for more care and appropriate strategy. Such strategy may have to be continued as long as 10 August 2021 in some form or the other.
The said article was published at english.nirpakhawaaz.in on 3 April 2021, the day of Naxal ambush. While the predictive alert could not be published much prior, it may be observed that a signal could be read between the lines for need of more care and appropriate strategy against something woeful at Chhatisgarh involving security forces and anti-national elements during a period of nearly two months of April-May in 2021. The following text in the article is reproduced from the article in that connection:-
“As said, the predictive article was published on 7 September 2020 . So looking at what has happened between then and now on 1 April, a need has been felt to present before readers an elaborated fresh version of predictive alerts so as to make these to serve as a still better guide covering nearly two months from about 7 April to 31 May in present year 2021. Planetary impacts suggested predictive alerts during the aforesaid period of time in India, can be described as follows.
(4). Some anti-national elements may sneak into from across the border, this time with newer strategy and form, may probably be other than male, with malefide intent. …
(6). Some among those at helm of affairs in executive, politics or judiciary may have discernible health complaints calling for more care and appropriate strategy or else, some important decisions taken by them may be at the center of discussion in the public domain , pointing error. This planetary scenario in the ongoing times can be interpreted like this as well. Some fault-finding conversation about the handling of ongoing health issues like coronavirus pandemic etc could be in news.
(9). Major incidents of fire in vulnerable locations appear to be likely. More care may be taken while driving on road-rail-air. Power, hydro projects, and energy resources like gas-petrol-diesel storage may call for more care and appropriate strategy.
(11). ………….Chhatisgarh, …………may be called upon to keep a note of one or more or most predictive alerts in view for more care and appropriate strategy”.
Link to reach the article published on 3 April 2021:-
http://english.nirpakhawaaz.in/2021/04/03/major-worrisome-concerns-in-india-during-a-period-of-nearly-two-months-from-about-7-april-to-31-may/
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Chattisgarh and Jharkhand are currently ruled by Congress and its “secular” allies. No wonder the Naxals are letting loose a reign of terror. President’s rule must be declared snd the Army should be called in.
First kill all Urban Naxals who are disguised as Proffessors in Central universitys like JNU , Journalists, NGO, Human right activist with out any mercy , the Naxals will die soon .