CoBRA commandos save Maoist guerrilla's life

Three commandos of the CRPF's CoBRA unit donated blood to save the life of a Maoist guerrilla injured in a gunfight with the paramilitary force in Chhattisgarh, the CRPF said here on Thursday.

Officials said the security force is traditionally meant to safeguard the lives of people, and killing the enemy is the last option for them.

Troops of the CoBRA (Commando Battalions for Resolute Action) unit, deployed in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, launched an operation on January 16 after receiving information about the movement of Maoists in forest areas around Korsermetta, Hidmapara and Gotpalli villages, the CRPF Academy in Kadarpur said in a statement.

On January 18, in the jungles near Gotpalli, a group of Maoists ambushed the troops, triggered a blast and fired at them.

In the exchange of fire, one Maoist was killed and another, identified as Linga Sodi of Itapalli village, was seriously injured as a bullet pierced his thigh leading to severe blood loss.

The CoBRA troops immediately evacuated him to the CRPF Field Hospital, at a distance of seven km from the gun battle site.

He was later airlifted to the government hospital in Jagdalpur the next day in the Indian Air Force chopper used for anti-Maoist operations.

When doctors said the injured Maoist required blood, three commandos -- constables Ratan Manjulkar, Praveender and U. Mehboob Peera -- donated blood to save his life.