Chhattisgarh Bijapur Maoist Attack: 22 security personnel were killed and more than 30 others injured on Saturday in the encounter with Maoists along the border between Bijapur and Sukma districts in Chhattisgarh.
Earlier reports suggested that five jawans were killed in the Chattisgarh Maoist attack, however, this morning the reports confirmed that the number of deaths had increased to twenty-two; yesterday five security personnel had died in action. The incident took place about 400 km from the state capital Raipur.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday condoled the death of security personnel in an encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh and said their valour will never be forgotten.
“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 & progress. May injured recover soon,” he said in a tweet.
Today, Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and took stock of the situation. He also directed the Director-General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Kuldiep Singh to visit Chhattisgarh to assess the situation.
“The centre and state will fight together and win too,” Home Minister Amit Shah told the Chief Minister of Chattisgarh, as per an official statement. He has assured all necessary help from the centre.
On Saturday, Chhattisgarh police said that separate joint teams of security forces, over 2,000 in number, launched a major anti-Maoist operation from Bijapur and Sukma districts in the South Bastar forests, considered a Maoist stronghold.
At around noon, the Maoists laid an ambush, following which an encounter started, which lasted for three hours inside the jungle.
On March 21 last year, 17 security personnel, including 12 from the DRG, were killed in a Maoist ambush in Sukma district of the region.
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