CAF jawan injured in encounter with naxals in Chhattisgarh

A Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) jawan was today injured in an encounter with naxals in a forest of Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Narayanpur district, police said.

The gunfight took place at around 10 am in the forest under Orchha police station limits when a joint team of security forces was patrolling to ensure security to road construction work in the area, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI.

"A Road Opening Party (ROP) comprising personnel from CAF and District Force, had launched the operation for the protection of road construction work underway between Narayanpur and Orchha this morning," he said.

The team was cordoning off the forests on the either side of the road opposite Mandali village, located around 350 kms from the capital Raipur, when it came under heavy firing from a group of ultras that led to gun-battle, he said.

However, the naxals soon escaped from the spot on finding the security personnel zeroing on them, he said.

"Constable Vinod Kumar, belonging to CAF, sustained bullet injuries on his thigh in the exchange of fire," the SP said.

Soon after getting informed, reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured jawan was taken to a local hospital from where he was airlifted to Raipur for further medication, he said.

The search operation was still underway in the forests, he added.