5 jawans die in encounter with Maoists in Bastar, IAF choppers deployed for rescue

Five jawans were killed while twelve others got injured in a fierce gunfight between security forces and Maoists in the jungles at the border of Bijapur and Sukma districts in Bastar, Chattisgarh, officials said on Saturday

Five jawans were killed while twelve others got injured in a fierce gunfight between security forces and Maoists in the jungles at the border of Bijapur and Sukma districts in Bastar, Chattisgarh, officials said on Saturday. The Indian Air Force has deployed Mi-17 helicopters to help the paramilitary forces in the rescue operations.

The encounter took place between Maoists and security forces near the jungles at the border of Bijapur and Sukma districts in Bastar. (Image for representation). (HT photo)

“As per the information received so far, five security personnel have been killed and twelve others got injured. Those who lost their lives in the gunfight include a jawan of CoBRA, two personnel each from the district reserve guard (DRG) and Bastariya’ battalion of CRPF,” said Director-General of Police (DGP), Chhattisgarh, DM Awasthi.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed sadness over the loss of lives of the security personnel in the encounter.

“My condolences are with the families of the martyrs. Their martyrdom will not go in vain,” the chief minister tweeted.  <blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”hi” dir=”ltr”>बीजापुर-सुकमा जिले की सीमा पर सुरक्षा बलों और नक्सली मुठभेड़ में 5 जवानों के शहीद होने का समाचार दुखद है।<br><br>मेरी संवेदनाएं शहीदों के परिजनों के साथ हैं।<br><br>हमारे सुरक्षा बलों की शहादत व्यर्थ नहीं जाएगी।</p>&mdash; Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) <a href=”https://twitter.com/bhupeshbaghel/status/1378340309361258496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 3, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8”></script>

As per the officials, the encounter broke around noon on Saturday between security forces and PLGA (Peoples’ Liberation Guerilla Army) battalion of Maoists, near Jonaguda village under Jagargunda police station area of Sukma district. The body of a woman Maoist was also recovered from the encounter spot, police said.

Awasthi said a joint team of state police and CRPF’s Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) was out on anti-Naxal operations when the encounter took place between Maoists and security forces near the jungles of the district.

Police said that separate joint teams of security forces launched a major anti-Naxal operation from Bijapur and Sukma districts in the South Bastar forests. These areas are considered as Maoist strongholds.

“The encounter lasted about three hours inside the jungle. The injured were airlifted to Raipur and an operation was underway to evacuate the injured jawans and bodies from the forest through helicopters. More details are awaited,” the DGP said.

On March 23, five DRG jawans were killed while fourteen others were injured in serial IED blasts when Maoists allegedly targeted a bus ferrying security personnel in Naryanpur district of Bastar region.

On March 21 last year, 17 security personnel, including 12 from the DRG, were killed in a Naxal ambush in Sukma district.