Naxals attack, jawans martyred and so many injured

Today, on the 13^th of March 2018, Naxals had attacked the Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. Here are the details.

Ten Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Jawans were killed in an IED blast by Naxals. In addition, six personnel were injured, three of them critical. One Maoist was subsequently killed by forces, it was later reported.

According to the news agency ANI, the CRPF jawans belonged to battalion 212. Currently, an encounter is on between Naxals and jawans.

#SpotVisuals from the site of IED blast by Naxals in Kistaram area of #Chhattisgarh‘s Sukma, 9 CRPF personnel have lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/iN4bQCETHH

— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2018

READ ALSO: Four police personnel killed in encounter with Naxals

The incident took place in Kistaram area when the vehicle with 11 jawans drove over a landmine, the personnel were out on a combing operation on the MPV. “I was also present and we were lucky that the SP and the team managed to reach the site on time,” said DM Awasthee, DG of Naxal Operations.

Firing between Naxals and CRPF officials had earlier started at 8 am. After being unable to counter the firing of jawans, the Naxals retreated only to set up a landmine that blew up the vehicle, reports added.

“Again at about 12:30 pm Naxals targeted another team of 212 battalion CRPF in between Kistaram and Palodi in Sukma in which a Mine Protection Vehicle was blown of by triggering IED,” said CRPF spokesperson Moses Dinakaran.

READ ALSO: Two CRPF soldiers came as the rescue for almost dead drowning women in the canal

Today’s attack comes almost 11 days after security personnel killed 10 alleged Naxalites in the state. It also comes six months after 25 CRPF jawans were slaughtered in one of the deadliest attacks by Maoist rebels, or Naxalites. Earlier last year on March, 12 CRPF personnel of a road opening party were ambushed in Sukma.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted about the incident, expressing anguish over the incident.

Today’s IED blast in Sukma, Chhattisgarh is deeply distressing. I bow to each and every security personnel who attained martyrdom while serving the nation.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 13, 2018

My heartfelt condolences to the families of those personnel who lost their lives in Sukma blast. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans. I spoke to DG @crpfindia regarding the Sukma incident and asked him to leave for Chhattisgarh.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 13, 2018