In a major crackdown by CRPF, at least 20 Naxalites, including a woman,
were killed in a fierce overnight encounter in the dense jungles of
Dantewada in Chhattisgarh that left six jawans wounded.
The encounter, which took place in the forests of Silger, an uncharted
Maoist zone between the Naxal hotbed of Jagargunda and Basaguda in
Bijapur district of Bastar region, was launched on Thursday night in a
joint operation by over 300 CRPF and State police personnel from three
directions.
Seventeen bodies of the ultras have been recovered from the spot,
Chhattisgarh ADG (Naxal operations) Ram Nivas said, adding the combing
operations were underway and the toll may rise.
Two Maoists, who were injured in the encounter, were apprehended and
have been airlifted for medical treatment to Raipur, a senior CRPF
official said.
CRPF officials said two “prominent” Naxals, operating in the Bijapur-Dantewada axis, were also killed in the encounter.
Six CRPF men, including two CoBRA commandos, sustained bullet injuries
and have been airlifted for medical aid to Raipur. Two of them are
critical, he said.
Keeping in view the tough terrain and presence of a big Naxal squad in
mind, the CRPF had deputed a DIG and two commandant rank officers,
supported by an additional SP of State police, to lead the operation.
The CRPF has mobilised three units of commandos and regular troops,
aided by two helicopters for the encounter from three directions —
Jagargunda, Chintalnar and Basaguda.
This is the same area, close to Chintalnar, where Naxals had carried out
an audacious attack on security forces killing 75 CRPF men and one
State police personnel in April 2010.
PTI
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