5 security personnel were killed and 12 others were injured after a fierce encounter with Maoists in Bijapur district of Bastar division, Chhattisgarh.
A joint team of security forces was on an Anti-Maoist operation after receiving specific inputs about the presence of a large number of ultras in the region when the encounter between the two sides broke out.
#Chhattisgarh: Additional forces have been rushed to the spot. Two helicopters and nine ambulances have been sent to Bijapur district head quarters. pic.twitter.com/vGjIPqfaFA
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) April 3, 2021
According to reports, additional forces have been rushed to the spot. Besides, two helicopters and nine ambulances have also been scrambled to Bijapur headquarters.
As per sources quoted by India Today, a joint party of the Central Reserve Police Force and the DRG was attacked upon by Maoists, following which an encounter started.
“Five security personnel died in the line of duty,” said Director General of Chhattisgarh Anti-Naxal Operations Ashok Juneja. “Maoists have also been killed; they have suffered substantial loss,” Chhattisgarh Director General of Police DM Awasthi said.
The encounter broke out in the Tarrem area of the district when the security personnel were carrying out anti-Maoist operations. The team of security personnel comprised of officials from the Central Reserve Police Force’s Commando Battalion for Resolute Action unit, the District Reserve Guard and the Special Task Force.
Earlier this week, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police arrested 3 Maoists for planting explosives to target forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. Chhattisgarh is one of the Naxal-prone states in the country and there have been many incidents in the past when Maoists, taking the cover of dense forests in the state, have attacked the security personnel.
In March this year, Maoists had bumped off a Zila Panchayat member in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. Hours before the incident, Naxals had torched about 11 vehicles in the Dhanora area of Chhattisgarh’s Kondagaon district.