Bodies of 17 jawans recovered from encounter site

Bodies of 17 jawans recovered from encounter site

The bodies of 17 jaws were recovered on Sunday from the site of a meeting between security forces and Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur, bringing the death toll to 22 in Saturday’s clash, the Bijapur police superintendent confirmed. Five security personnel died in action. One Jawan is still missing, confirmed the Bijapur Police Superintendent.

On April 2, more than 2,000 staff members from at least five camps in Sukma and Bijapur went into the forest around Tarrem in the Bijapur district, 60 km from the district headquarters.

Personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite unit CoBRA (Resolute Action Command Battalion), the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) participated in the launched operation from five places – Tarrem, Usoor, and Pamed (in Bijapur), and Minpa and Narsapuram (in Sukma).

A security person injured in Bijapur on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)

The operation was mounted against the Area Commander of Battalion No. 1 Hidma, one of the most feared and wanted Maoists. He has been responsible, police said, for several attacks against security forces. Sources believe Hidma was “actively present” in the area and his team was responsible for Saturday’s attack.

Authorities said security personnel was caught in an ambush while returning from the operation. Saturday’s encounter comes 10 days after five DRG staff members were killed when Naxals blew up their bus with an IED in Narayanpur district.

Interior Minister Amit Shah spoke with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and assessed the situation. Shah also ordered the director-general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Kuldeep Singh, to visit Chhattisgarh to assess the situation.

Earlier, Shah tweeted that the courage of the security personnel who gave their lives fighting extremists will never be forgotten.

Shah also said that the government will continue its fight against those enemies of peace and progress.

“I bow to the sacrifices of our brave security personnel martyred while fighting the Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The nation will never forget its value. My condolences to their families. We will continue our fight against these enemies of peace and progress. The injured may recover soon, ”he said in a tweet.

“The killing of security personnel while fighting the Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh is a source of deep anguish. My condolences to the bereaved families. The nation shares your pain and will never forget this sacrifice, ”President Kovind tweeted. Congressional leader Rahul Gandhi demanded “decisive action to locate and rescue the missing Jawans.”