Two personnel of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in a naxal attack in Pamed police station area of Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Monday.
Chhattisgarh director general of police (DGP) D.M. Awasthi has confirmed the attack and casualties to the local media. This is the first incident of casualty of security forces in the naxal-infested state this year.
Those killed have been identified as constables Vikas Kumar and Purnanand Sahu. The encounter between CRPF battalion and the Maoists in the forest of Irapalli, left a Naxal, too, dead. Deputy Commandant of CRPF Prashant Kumar and five other personnel were also injured. Kumar received a bullet injury in the stomach and his condition is said to be serious.
The encounter took place on Monday morning when the team of CoBRA left the Tipapuram Camp for searching in the Pamed area. The naxals, who were hiding in Irapalli forest, attacked the team and in the ensuing cross-firing two personnel and a naxal were killed. The identity of the dead naxal is yet to be revealed.
Meanwhile, seven naxals surrendered before the police in the same district. Superintendent of police Divyang Patel told media persons that three of the seven naxals carried rewards of Rs 3 lakh each on them. They were said to be involved in attacks on police teams, threatening villagers and arson incidents.
On Sunday evening, CRPF team recovered a powerful IED (improvised explosive device) in Sukma forest area of Sukma district during a routine search. The 5-kg pressure bomb had been hidden under a road which the CRPF personnel routinely took for searching operations. The team of 150th battalion of CRPF diffused the bomb. Sources said that the IED was powerful enough to cause huge damage to life and property.