CRPF officer killed, jawan injured in encounter with naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

The incident took place at Timmapur in the district when a CRPF patrol of the 168th battalion was on road opening and sanitising duty

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer was killed and a constable was injured in an exchange of fire with naxals in Chhattisgarh's Left Wing Extremism-affected Bijapur district on Saturday, a senior official said.

Naxals also looted the AK-47 rifle and bullet-proof jacket of the slain officer while five motorcycles of the security personnel were also missing, he added. The incident took place around 9.30 am along a rivulet near Putkel village under Basaguda police station limits when a team of the CRPF's 168th battalion was out on a road security duty on motorcycles, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Other teams of the security forces were also out on operation in the area on foot, he said. When the motorbike patrolling team was passing along a dirt track near the Dongal Chinta rivulet, around 450 km away from state capital Raipur, it came under heavy fire from a group of naxals, leading to the gunfight, the IGP said. “Assistant Commandant Shanti Bhusan Tirkey, belonging to the CRPF's 168th battalion, was killed while (CRPF) constable B Apparao, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, was injured," Sundarraj added.

Reinforcement was quickly rushed to the spot, he said. "The motorcycle which the assistant commandant was riding was set on fire by the ultras during the encounter. They also looted his AK-47 and bullet-proof jacket before escaping from the spot," the IGP said. Five motorcycles of the security forces were also reported to be missing, he said, adding that a search operation was underway in the area.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel described the incident as “unfortunate”. Talking to reporters at the Raipur airport, Baghel said, “It is very unfortunate. The martyrdom of our jawan will not go in vain. "Naxals have been pushed on backfoot as a result of the efforts of our security personnel, government officials, employees and public representatives who have been effectively implementing the government's welfare schemes in these (Maoist-hit) areas," he said.

"We will fight the naxals with more strength,” the chief minister added.

Asked about the opposition BJP's allegation that naxal incidents are on the rise in Chhattisgarh, Baghel said, “During Raman Singh's 15-year rule (when the BJP was in power from 2003 to 2018), naxalism spread from three development blocks to 14 districts. Was this his achievement? In three years of Congress rule, naxals incidents have declined.”

During the BJP rule, only muzzle-loading guns (carried by lower-rung cadres) used to be recovered in anti-naxal operations, Baghel claimed. Under the Congress rule, "not only their senior leaders have surrendered or have been arrested, but some were also killed in encounters," he said. The faith of the common people, tribals, women and the youth in the Congress government has grown, hence "naxals are now compelled to write letters that they are facing trouble in recruitment," Baghel said.

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