BIJAPUR: Three CRPF personnel were Friday killed in an encounter with Naxals, including a girl who was caught in the crossfire, in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said.
The gun battle took place around 11 am close to a culvert near Keshkutul village when a joint team of the CRPF’s 199th battalion and state police was out on an area domination patrol on motorcycles, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Divyang Patel said.
Two girls were caught in the crossfire. One of them died, while the other was injured in the crossfire, the police said.
The motorcycle-borne patrolling team was on its way towards the Bhairamgarh area from its camp in Keshkutul, which falls under the Bhairamgarh police station area.
When it was advancing through Keshkutul, the team was ambushed by a group of armed rebels and a gunfight ensued, Patel said. While two of the CRPF personnel died in the encounter, one later succumbed to injuries.
The three deceased CRPF personnel are assistant sub-inspectors Mahadeva P (50) and Madan Pal Singh (52) and head constable Saju O P (47), officials said.
(with agency inputs)