CRPF's third field hospital inaugurated in Bastar

The hospital will provide treatment to civilians, besides paramilitary and police personnel

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The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Tuesday inaugurated its third field hospital in the insurgency-hit Bastar region of Chhattisgarh which will provide treatment to civilians, besides paramilitary and police personnel.

CRPF's Director-General (DG) Prakash Mishra launched the hospital in Bhejji -- a Naxal hotbed, lies around 500 km away from the state capital in Sukma district, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Santosh Singh told PTI.

Special Director-General of CRPF K Durga Prasad, besides senior police officials, was also present on the occasion.

DG first visited Bhejji Dai (mother) temple located in the village itself.

Subsequently, he addressed the local villagers gathered in the programme before inaugurating the Bhejji Mata Field hospital, the ASP said.

Bhejjiis considered as a strategically important place in the Naxal hinterland of Sukma.

It is located around 15 km away from Injram, situated onSukma-Kontaroad -- a patch on NH-30 that connects Jagdalpur (district headquarters of Bastar) to Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh.

CRPF camps have been set up between Injram-Bhejjiin Etegatta, Gorkha, Kottacheru and the last one at Bhejji only.

Besides, a police station was also constructed in Bhejji long back.

In the aftermath of Salwa Judum militia clash in 2005, natives of Bhejji had deserted the village.

Last year, they started returning and re-settling there.

"The area is deprived of medical and health care facilities as it lies in the interiors of dense forest pocket while some of the medical infrastructures were destroyed by the Naxals. Medical support to local villagers would be a major function of the hospital," a CRPF official said.

Besides, ensuring first aid medical assistance to personnel injured during operation would also be key task of this hospital, he added.

CRPF had set up a field hospital one each at Chintalnar (Sukma) and Bijapur last year.