Sukma | Jagran News Desk: One Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was martyred while ten others were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, officials said on Sunday.
The officials informed that the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) regiment of the CRPF had launched an anti-Naxal operation on Saturday night. However, Assistant Commandant Nitin Bhalerao of 206 CoBRA battalion of CRPF was injured in an IED blast during the operation.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said that the jawan was airlifted to Raipur at around 12.45 am and was admitted to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries on Sunday morning. The officials have informed that seven of the 10 injured CRPF personnel are out of danger now.
"Total 10 personnel were injured and one died in an IED blast in Sukma, Chhattisgarh last night. 8 injured personnel were heli-lifted to Raipur in the midnight for further treatment. Two injured are being treated at CRPF Hospital, Chintalnar," the CRPF said in a statement, as reported by news agency ANI.
The Sukma district in Chhattisgarh is a stronghold for several Naxal groups. In 2017, the Naxals had carried out a deadly attack in Sukma, killing as many as 25 CRPF personnel. The ambush took place between Burkapal and Chintagufa in the Sukma district.
The attack was reportedly carried out by a local Naxal commander who camping in the area for the last few days, the officials had said.
"We got regular inputs on April 22 that dreaded Maoist commander Situ was camping at Tadmetla village, around 7-8 kms from Burkapal where the ambush took place yesterday," a senior police official had said.
"We suspect that the attack was planned by Situ and his group by taking the support of local lower-rung cadres of Maoists like Sangham and militia members," he had said.