Eight security personnel were killed in the line of duty yesterday, and another 18 are still missing, following an encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, about 400 kilometers from the state capital Raipur.
My thoughts are with the families of those martyred while fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The sacrifices of the brave martyrs will never be forgotten. May the injured recover at the earliest.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 3, 2021
I bow to the sacrifices of our brave security personnel martyred while fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. Nation will never forget their valour. My condolences are with their families. We will continue our fight against these enemies of peace & progress. May injured recover soon.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 4, 2021
Ashok Juneja, Director General (Naxal Operations) of the Chhattisgarh Police, announced this morning that the number of deaths has risen to eight; five security personnel were killed in action the day before.
Separate joint teams of security forces with over 2,000 personnel launched a major operation in the South Bastar forests, considered a Maoist stronghold, from Bijapur and Sukma districts. The Maoists ambushed the soldiers around 12 p.m., resulting in a three-hour battle.
Home Minister Amit Shah met with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel today to assess the situation. He also directed Kuldiep Singh, Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), to visit Chhattisgarh to assess the situation.
“The federal government and the states will fight together and win,” Home Minister Amit Shah told the Chief Minister, according to an official statement. I honor the sacrifices of our valiant security personnel who were killed fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The nation will never forget their bravery. My heartfelt condolences go out to their families. We will continue to fight these enemies of peace and progress. “May the injured recover quickly,” Mr Shah had earlier tweeted. Last night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who died fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The brave martyrs’ sacrifices will never be forgotten. May the injured recover as soon as possible.”
For the past ten days, state security forces have been gathering information on the whereabouts of Madvi Hidma, a top member of the banned CPI (Maoist) who has been linked to major attacks such as the 2013 Jhiram Ghati killings.
Over 30 people were killed in the Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack in 2013, including senior leaders of the Chhattisgarh Congress.
