Chhattisgarh CM condoles 17 martyrs of shocking Maoist attack; says 'Fight will go on'

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday expressed his condolences to the 17 security personnel who were martyred in an encounter with Maoists in the Minpa forests of Sukma in the state. Calling it a big loss, he stated that the fight will go on. 

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said, "The encounter between the Jawans and the Naxals went on for hours. Our jawan fought very bravely. I am very proud of them. Their sacrifice won't go to waste. My prayers are with the family. The state government will provide the martyrs' families and the injured jawans as much help as possible in every situation."

He further stated, "I salute our Jawans' courage. Till the time it doesn't get over, the fight will go on. It is a big loss for us. We will scrap the root of Naxals." 

PM Modi condemns Maoist attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condemned the Maoist attack in Sukma and paid his tributes to the martyred security personnel, he stressed that their valour would never be forgotten. The PM also expressed hope for the speedy recovery of the injured personnel. 

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The Maoist attack

17 security personnel which included members of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) were martyred in an encounter with Maoists in the Minpa forests of Sukma in Chhattisgarh. Their bodies were discovered by a search team on Sunday. Earlier on Saturday, nearly 600 personnel belonging to DRG- a specially created force of local youth aware of jungle warfare, STF and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) launched an anti-Maoist operation towards Elmagunda from three sides. However, a group of 250 heavily armed Maoists ambushed a patrolling team in the Chintagufa area at around 2.30 pm.  

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Along with it, 15 other security personnel were injured in the encounter. As per reports, the firing went on for nearly two and a half hours. They were airlifted to Raipur for further treatment.

Read: Patnaik condemns killing of 17 security personnel in Chandigarh Naxal attack

Read: Rahul Gandhi condoles death of 17 jawans in Naxal encounter