Chhattisgarh encounter: CM Baghel visits injured jawans; vows to setup camps in Naxal area

Backing the CRPF's action against the Naxals in Sukma-Bijapur, Chhatisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday visited the injured jawans at Ramkrishna Care Hospital in Raipur, vowing that 'CRPF camps will be set up' in Naxal areas. Ruling out any intelligence failure, he lauded the jawans' bravery paying condolences to the family of the soldiers who lost their lives.  22 jawans' bodies have been recovered after the fiercest gunbattle with Naxals in Chattisgarh last night.

Baghel visits injured jawans

"At Tarrem, Bijapur, the Naxals attacked covertly during a joint operation by almost 2000 security personnel. We pay our condolences to the family of the soldiers who lost their lives. Naxalites have also suffered heavy losses. I repeat establishment of two camps in the area of influence of Naxalites will be done expeditiously, which has frustrated them. After this, the activities of the Naxalites will be limited. There was no intelligence failure," said Baghel.

Forces ambushed by 400 Maoists

Elaborating on the details of a deadly encounter between security forces and Maoists at the Sukma-Bijapur border in Chattisgarh, Sundarraj Pattilingam, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, has confirmed that one jawan is still missing since yesterday. The Bastar Range IG affirmed that 12 Maoists were killed in the encounter that broke out last night and as many as 16 of them were left injured. The search operations continue for the one missing CoBRA jawan who hails from Jammu & Kashmir, Pattilingam said.

As per sources, security forces while hunting for Maoist commander Hidma were ambushed on Saturday, following which an encounter broke out. The security forces were met with nearly 400 Maoists that opened fire upon the jawans. As per officials, 22 jawans have been martyred in the encounter. The security forces consisting of DRG, CRPF, STF and Cobra commandos were deployed in an anti-Maoist operation on April 2. 760 personnel from Tarrem, 200 from Usur, 195 from Pamed, 483 from Sukma's Minpa and 420 personnel from Narsapur were involved in the anti-terror operation.

According to the initial reports, the encounter lasted for over 3 hours and severe damage was inflicted on the Maoists as well. An emergency meeting of DGP DM Awasthi, Special DG (Anti-Naxal Operations) Ashoke Juneja and other officers was held in Raipur. Addressing reporters on Sunday evening, the Bastar Range IG also said that security officials are yet to recover 7 AK-47s, 1 LMG and 2 SLRs, which were lost during the encounter. Both CM Baghel and Home Minister Amit Shah have short their Assam campaign. While Baghel returned to his state, Shah returned to Delhi to chair a high-level meeting at his residence with  Sanjay Chander, Special DG CRPF present.