NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and acting CRPF Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia left for Chhattisgarh's capital city Raipur to pay homage to the 12 paramilitary jawans killed in an IED blast triggered by Naxals on Saturday morning.
In an early morning ambush on CRPF patrol party and IED attack, the Naxals killed 12 troops and injured another four through an IED blast at Kotacheru village in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. “Troops of 219 Battalion who were on road opening patrol (ROP) duty for providing security to road construction works were ambushed followed by IED blast near Kotacheru village under Bheji police station, Sukma District. Naxals managed to take away 10 weapons and 2 VHF sets. The injured have been evacuated by helicopter to CRPF Field Surgical Unit, Bheji. Reinforcements of Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) have reached the spot. Operations are still on,” in-charge CRPF spokesperson Dhinakaran said in a statement here.
The incident happened around 9.10 AM on Saturday in an interior area where there is no connectivity. Communication is through satellite phone. Three critically injured personnel have been evacuated by helicopter to Raipur at 11. 50 AM, he said, adding the strength of CRPF troops on patrol duty was 112 personnel.
A helicopter carrying three injured jawans landed at Raipur at 1.20 PM. The injured jawans have been admitted in Sri Narayana hospital, Raipur.
Head Constable Jagdish Prasad Vishnoi was critically injured and evacuated to Raipur succumbed to his injuries taking the toll to 12. Two others critically injured include Constable Jaidev Parmanik and Constable Salim.
Reports reaching the CRPF heradquarters here suggest the local shopkeepers have downed their shutters in protest against the attack on the paramilitary troops. During the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and enquired about the situation in Sukma.