Maoists kill 17 security personnel in Chhattisgarh in bloodiest hit since 2017

Chhattisgarh police had said on Saturday that more than a dozen security personnel were reported missing after the encounter while 14 injured jawans were injured and were brought for treatment to Raipur, about 400 km north of the site of the fighting.

Updated on: Mar 22, 2020, 15:44:32 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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In one of the biggest setbacks for security forces in Chhattisgarh, Maoists killed 17 troopers in an encounter in Sukma, police said Sunday.

Police have found the bodies of the 17 jawans of state police in Minpa jungles of Sukma where a fierce encounter took place on Saturday.

Chhattisgarh police had said on Saturday that more than a dozen security personnel were reported missing after the encounter while 14 injured jawans were injured and were brought for treatment to Raipur, about 400 km north of the site of the fighting.

“Seventeen bodies of jawans of state police has been recovered by the rescue teams sent in the jungle till now,” said Chhattisgarh’s Director General of Police (DGP) D M Awasthi

Fifteen automatic rifles including 10 AK-47 of the security forces are missing, a police official said.

Awasthi said the encounter began at around 1 pm on Saturday near Korajguda hills in Chintagufa area when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Maoists operation.

“There were multiple encounters after 1pm, which took place in that area till evening. After the force came back we found that 17 jawans of state police were missing and 14 were injured,” said Awasthi.

The operation was launched by the police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) had launched the operation from Chintagufa and involved 150 security personnel,

A large reinforcement was sent to encounter spot on Sunday morning, the DGP said.

The police chief said members of the team involved in the encounter said about a dozen Maoists sustained bullet injuries. But the search team did not find any bodies of Maoists.

The DGP further said that the encounter took place with Battalion Number One of CPI (Maoist), which is led by Mandavi Hidma.

“There were about 300 Maoists who were led by Hidma … We have information that the cadres of other states have also gathering near Minpa,” the DGP added.

Saturday’s loss was the biggest for security forces since April 24, 2017 when Maoists killed 25 CRPF personnel in an ambush near Burkapal in Sukma.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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