Naxals took to ‘U-shaped ambush’

Sukma (Chhattisgarh), April 25

The Naxalite attack in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Monday was reportedly organised by the military battalion of Naxals Company No. 1.

"The 74th CRPF Battalion was on a Road Opening Party (ROP) duty to guard the road and an under-construction bridge when the ambush took place," CRPF Deputy Inspector General DP Upadhyay said.

Ninety CRPF jawans were part of the ROP when they were attacked. "Few villagers and their houses were used as a shield by the Naxals to attack the CRPF personnel," Upadhyay said.

"They launched the attack from three sides. The retaliatory fire went on for about one to two hours in which at least three Naxalites and 25 of our CRPF jawans were killed and six were injured. Their sacrifice will not go waste. We will teach them a lesson," he said.

"The body of Havildar M Padmanabhan, who was thought to be missing, was recovered later," Bastar IG Vivekanand Sinha said.

"It was a U-shaped ambush. And out of the 700-750 Maoists who attacked, many were women," he added.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government had taken as a challenge the killing of CRPF personnel and vowed that no one will be spared.

He said the Centre and state government would work together to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.

Rajnath, who paid tribute to the jawans along with his deputy Hansraj Ahir and Chief Minister Raman Singh, said this cowardly and unfortunate act exposed desperation and frustration.

"It is a cold-blooded murder by the extremists. The central and state governments will work together and take action in this regard," Rajnath told a joint press briefing with the Chief Minister.

The Chhattisgarh CM has called for concrete strategy to counter such attacks, while expressing grief over the death of jawans. "It's high time we need to adopt some strategies to counter such attacks. I offer my condolence to the families of the deceased," he said. — ANI