Cowardly Maoist attack at Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district martyrs 26 CRPF jawans

Raipur: In a cowardly attack by around 300 Maoists in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, 26 ‘CRPF’ jawans were martyred while some were grievously injured. The President and the Prime Minister have expressed their deep condolences on these killings. The Prime Minister has assured that he will not let the sacrifice of these jawans be in vain. While the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh said that this attack by the Maoists has been taken as a challenge by the government.

The attack was carried out in the Kalapathar area of the Sukma district. A contingent of the 74^th battalion of the CRPF was working to open up a closed road in this area. Around 90 jawans were a part of this contingent. At around half past noon on Monday, nearly 300 Maoists ambushed the CRPF contingent from all sides and opened unrelenting fire. A senior CRPF officer informed that 11 jawans died on the spot due to this sudden attack. Some of the jawans were grievously injured in the attack and were airlifted to the hospitals.

The CRPF jawans retaliated forcefully to this carefully conspired Maoist attack. It has come to the fore that the Maoists also suffered huge damages due to the counter attack by the CRPF. It is said that many Maoists were killed while some have been seriously injured. However, no concrete evidence has come forth in this regard.. After this attack, a large scale search operation is being carried out in this area.

The attack took place between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area in Kalapathar. This area that is situated in south Bastar, has witnessed many extreme Maoist attacks in the past. 12 jawans were martyred in a violent Maoist attack in the Sukma district in March. In the year 2010, a Maoist attack carried out in Sukma district had claimed the lives of 76 jawans. This attack is believed to be the most severe attack launched on the security forces in India. As a result, the security forces had taken up a large scale campaign in the area.

Since the past few months, the Chhattisgarh state government had taken up some projects to get the Maoists back in the main stream. This resulted in a positive outcome and some misguided youth gave up Maoism and accepted to surrender. This was a major setback to the Maoist forces. Meanwhile, the effect of the attacks which were intensified against the Maoists are beginning to appear. Under such circumstances, the desperate Maoists launch large scale attacks in a show of power. It is believed that the recent Sukma attack was also a part of this power display by the Maoists.