At least 4 Maoists killed, 2 CoBRA jawans injured in Chhattisgarh encounter

Two CoBRA jawans have been injured in an encounter that broke out between security forces and Maoists in Bijapur’s Pamed area in Chhattisgarh at around 12.20 pm on Monday, as 18 seats in the state have gone to the polls.

At least four Maoists were reportedly killed and two CRPF personnel suffered bullet wounds as a gun battle broke out when the troopers were on foot patrol in a forested area near Bijapur’s Majiguda village.

Chhattisgarh has seen several Maoist-led attacks in recent times, with over half a dozen attacks in 17 days. (PTI/Representative Image)

“Four-five Naxals are reported to be dead but their bodies could not be collected due to continuous exchange of fire,” special director general of police , DM Awasthi, said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were attacked around 12.20 p.m. when they were on an “area domination” operation in a dense forest near Majiguda village.

The troopers were from the CRPF’s 204 Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) team - a specialized unit proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare.

“Our two jawans from CoBRA unit suffered injuries in an encounter with the Maoists. They have been evacuated and sent to hospital,” CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran told IANS.

The attack occurred at a time when the first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls was on in Bijapur and other seats in the Maoist-affected region. It was the sixth Maoist attack in 17 days in Chhattisgarh.

Minutes before the polls began, Maoists detonated an IED in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district that narrowly missed a CRPF foot patrol.

Amid tight security, voting in 10 of the 18 seats scheduled for the first phase began at 7 a.m. These were Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, Konta, Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal and Kondagaon. It would end at 3 p.m.

Polling in the remaining eight seats which began at 8 a.m. would continue till 5 p.m. All 18 constituencies are known as Maoist hubs.

The CRPF official said the Maoists have issued diktat to boycott elections but villagers were voting in large numbers.

(with IANS inputs)