Chhattisgarh: Twenty-two jawans were killed and 31 sustained injuries in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh on Saturday. According to the sources, false intelligence information ambushed security personnel in Chhattisgarh.
They had received inputs about the presence of two top leaders Madvi Hidma, the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army’s (PLGA) battalion number 1 commander, and Sujatha, an associate in the Jagargunda-Jonaguda-Tarrem belt.
A CRPF’s specialized jungle warfare unit CoBRA, a unit of its Bastariya Battalion, and the District Reserve Guard were deployed. Sources reveal mobilization of nearly 2000 personnel from six camps to intercept the outlaw duo.
Hidma, a homegrown Maoist carries a Rs 40 lakh cash reward from the department. He is suspected to be behind several such attacks, including the one on March 11 in Sukma in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed in action and May 2013 one in Jeeram Valley in which about 32 people, including top Chhattisgarh Congress leaders, were killed.
Around 400 Maoists summoned a heavy gun battle with the security personnel in the jungle and gauged heavy loss to Jawan’s, official report. 22 personnel martyrs were reported and 30 sustained injuries. The Maoists looted two dozen national weapons and escaped.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh have, however, denied any intelligence failure. “There is no point in saying there was some kind of intelligence or operational failure. Had it been some intelligence failure, forces would have not gone for the operation. And if there was some operational failure, so many Maoists would have not been killed, Mr. Singh said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Amit Shah has cut short his election campaign in Assam and visited Jagdalpur to pay tribute to the martyrs, following which he will hold meetings with the state leaders and officials.