Chhattisgarh encounter: Naxals may have abducted missing jawan in Bijapur, says CRPF sources

NEW DELHI: A personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) who has been missing since Saturday's ambush in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur, might have been abducted by Naxals, CRPF sources said. "Since a jawan, who was part of the party that was attacked in Chhattisgarh is missing, the possibility of his abduction by Naxals can't be ruled out," CRPF sources said.

An encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals along the Sukma-Bijapur border on Saturday after a party of jawans was ambushed by Naxals near Jonnaguda village around noon. At least 22 security personnel lost their lives in the attack. Around 31 sustained injuries in the encounter, Chhattisgarh Police said.

Moreover, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit the site where Naxals attacked security personnel at the Sukma-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh. Shah will also meet the injured jawans at the hospital. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel reiterated that operations against Naxals would continue and the work of establishing camps in Naxal-affected areas would be completed in an expedited manner.

He further said that the "battle" went on for four hours and security forces entered the Naxal-affected areas and fought valiantly.

He said that the influence of Naxalites in Chhattisgarh was shrinking rapidly, and is now confined to a very limited area in the state. Subsequently, they are panicking and trying to make their presence felt through such violent incidents. He said that there is continuous work to establish police camps in Naxal-affected areas and the work would continue in future as well, he added.

CRPF DG Kuldiep Singh, who is in Chhattisgarh to monitor the situation following the attack, on Sunday said that there was absolutely no intelligence or operational failure in the operation.