Chhattisgarh: 5 Jawans Martyred, 20 Injured In Naxal-Hit Bijapur; Maoists Also Gunned Down

Five jawans were killed while a few others injured during an encounter with Naxals at a forest in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday. Besides security personnel, some Maoists are also suspected to have been killed during the gun fight.

Photo: PTI (Representative Image)

A fierce gunfight brokeout between security personnel and Naxals  at a forest in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday in which five jawans were killed while a few others injured.  

According to media reports, the exchange of fire with Naxals in jungles near Tarrem continued for about three hours today. Chhattisgarh DGP DM Awasthi reportedly said that personnel belonging to the CRPF's elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action unit (CoBRA), the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the operation. 

Besides security personnel, some Maoists are also suspected to have been killed during the gun fight.

News agency ANI quoted DIG (Naxal Operations) OP Pal saying, "five jawans died and 12 others injured in the 3-hour-long encounter with Naxals at Sukma-Bijapur border in Sukma district. Body of a woman Naxal has been found at the encounter site."

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of DGP DM Awasthi, Special DG (Anti-Naxal Operations) Ashoke Juneja and other officers is underway in Raipur over the encounter between the security forces and Naxals in Bijapur. 

The incident has come ten days after five DRG personnel were killed when Naxals blew up a bus carrying the security personnel with an IED in Narayanpur district on March 23. In another incident, a Zila Panchayat member in Bijapur district was allegedly killed by Naxals last month.