An injured CRPF jawan is taken to hospital after a Maoist attack (TV grab/CNN-News18)
New Delhi: In a deadly ambush by Naxals, 25 CRPF personnel were killed in Chhattisgarh’s Sukhma district.
– Seven personnel are reported to be missing, and four others injured
– The Maoists ambushed the CRPF’s 74th Battalion at Kala Pathar near Chintagufa, the worst Maoist violence-affected area in South Bastar
– According to CRPF Deputy Inspector General M Dinakaran, the CRPF men were out for a road opening task, when they came under heavy fire from Naxalites
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– The attack on the battalion started early in the afternoon around 1pm and went on for an hour
– Constable Sher Mohammed, a survivor, said there were close to 300 Maoists who ambushed the troops
– The Naxals looted all arms and ammunition of the CRPF jawans
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– “First, villagers traced our location and strength then almost 300 Naxals attacked us. In retaliatory firing, we also killed many of them. At least 3-4 Naxals were shot in the chest,” said Constable Mohammed
– The Maoists, he added, were carrying automatic weapons, AK47s and INSAS rifles
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– Reinforcement from the nearest CRPF camp was rushed to the spot and the injured were airlifted to Raipur for treatment.
– A major search operation is underway and CRPF Cobra teams are on the lookout for the attackers.