NIA Files Chargesheet Against 6 More Naxals In 2021 Bijapur Attack

22 personnel of the security forces were killed in the Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on April 4, 2021.

The Maoist attack killed 22 soldiers of the security forces/Representational Image

The National Investigation Agency has filed a charge sheet against six Naxals in connection with the maoist attack in Chhattisgarh Bijapur district in 2021 that left 22 security personnel dead, said the federal agency on Wednesday. 

With the fresh charge sheet filed in the case, the total number of accused has reached 46. 

The anti-terror agency had registered the case in connection with the matter on June 5, 2021 and had filed its original charge sheet against 23 accused persons in December last year, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against 17 more in July 2023, it said in a statement on Wednesday. 

On April 3, 2021, an encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals along the Sukma-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh after a party of soldiers was ambushed by Maoists near Jonnaguda village. 

The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday charge-sheeted six more naxals in the case relating to a fatal attack that left 22 security personnel dead in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh in 2021. This takes the total number of accused charge-sheeted by the NIA in the case so far… pic.twitter.com/BPC2jEaE8o

— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023

The forces were scattered and trapped along a two-kilometre long stretch of forest area. 

22 soldiers were killed in the attacks while 32 more were wounded in the three-hour long encounter. 

Responding to the attacks, Chhattisgarh police said that it had killed 9 Naxalites and recovered the dead body of a woman Naxal.

On April 2, 2021, a joint team of Cobra Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force, DRG and STF was sent from Bijapur and Sukma districts in the anti-Naxal operation. About two thousand soldiers from Tarrem, Usur of Bijapur district, Minpa and Narsapuram of Sukma district were involved in the anti-Naxal operation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his grief over the loss of lives. 

"My condolences are with the families of the soldiers who were martyred fighting the Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The sacrifice of the brave martyrs will never be forgotten. I wish the speedy recovery of the injured," Modi had tweeted