Naxal ambush kills 24 CRPF jawans in Chhattisgarh

Naxal guerillas ambushed a party of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in one of the deadliest incidents in Chhattisgarh’s restive Sukma district and killed 24 jawans on Monday afternoon.
 

About 70 jawans from the 74th battalion of the central para-military force was on an area domination operation to provide the security blanket for a road construction project on Dornapal road, about 450 kms from here. The pocket is considered to be a stronghold of rebels.
 

The rebels detonated powerful explosion and sprayed bullets on the jawans at around 12.30 pm near Burkapal village. The jawans were moving in two separate groups while one came under the attack of rebels. Unconfirmed reports said that the jawans were preparing for lunch when the Naxalites attacked.
 

The remaining jawans immediately took a position and retaliated. The other group rushed as reinforcement and backed the fighting jawans.
 

Additional Director General of Police R K Vij said 24 jawans were killed in the ambush. Initially, bodies of 12 jawans were recovered. When the elite CoBRA team rushed to the spot and conducted the search operation, bodies of another 12 jawans were found.
 

Of the 24 jawans killed, 23 died on the spot while one succumbed to his injuries on the way to Raipur. Seven jawans were injured in the attack. They have been airlifted to Raipur, the condition of two jawans is reported to be critical.
 

This is the second major Naxal attack in Sukma district within 45 days in the same district. On March 11, 12 CRPF jawans from the 219 Battalion were killed near Kottacheru village under Bhejji police station.
 

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh had cut short his Delhi visit and was rushing to the state capital to take stock of the situation. The top CRPF officials were also rushing to Raipur. 

Decade deadliest: Naxal attacks

March 12, 2017:

Naxalites ambushed CRPF party and killed 12 jawans from the 219 Battalion were killed near Kottacheru village under Bhejji police station of Sukma district.

March 11, 2014:

Naxals ambushed a security patrol killing 16 people including 11 of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), a Central paramilitary force in Sukma district.

May 25, 2013:

The Naxal attack on Congress convoy in Darbha valley of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh killed 27 party leaders including the former state ministers.

May 30, 2011:

Naxal ambushed a police party and killed nine jawans, including an additional superintendent of police Rajesh Pawar.

June 29, 2010: 

26 CRPF jawan were killed in Naxal attack in Narayanpur district.

April 2010:

Naxalite rebels killed 76 persons including paramilitary personnel of the CRPF and two policemen in Dornapal under Dantewada district.  

March 2007:

Naxalites attacked a police outpost and killed 55 policemen of the state police in Rani Bodi village of Bijapur district.