CRPF jawan killed in gun-fight with Naxals in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: A CRPF jawan was killed and three others were injured in a gun-fight with naxals in Bijapur district today.

The skirmish occurred in the forests between Guttum and Timapur villages under Basaguda police station limits when the paramilitary forces were carrying out a search operation in the region, Bijapur Additional Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela told PTI.

A squad of Central Reserve Paramilitary Force's 168th battalion had launched a combing exercise from Timapur to Guttum and then back to Timapur in Basaguda, located around 450 kms away from the state capital.

On their way back, when they reached near Mendra village, 4 kms ahead of Timapur, a group of Maoists opened indiscriminate fire on the security personnel leaving three of them injured, he said.

However, naxals fled to the forests when the jawans retaliated.

"Constable Sunil Ram succumbed to his injuries while being taken out of the jungle. The injured constables- Dharmendar Singh Bhadoria, Srijeet and Rakesh Kumar were airlifted to the state capital Raipur for treatment," Elesela said, adding that the injured jawans have been admitted here at a private hospital and kept under observation.

Following the incident, additional forces have been rushed to the spot, the officer said, adding, a manhunt has been launched to nab the attackers.