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Chhattisgarh: Shah to meet injured jawans, go to Naxal attack site
DH Web Desk
Last Updated IST
Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Credit: PTI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Credit: PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit the site where Naxals attacked security personnel at Sukma-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh on Monday.

He will later meet injured jawans at hospital.

Shah on Sunday evening chaired a high-level meeting on the Chhattisgarh Maoist attack in which at least 22 security personnel were killed, soon after he returned from Assam where he was conducting the election campaign.

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Around 2,000 security personnel had launched a joint anti-Naxal operation from Bijapur and Sukma districts in the South Bastar forests on Friday night. Out of the total 22 fatalities, eight were from CRPF — seven from CoBRA unit and another from the Bastariya battalion.

Sources said around 400 Maoists had ambushed the security personnel. Most wanted Maoist commander and leader of the self-styled 'People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion no 1' -- Hidma -- and his associate Sujatha are suspected to be behind the attack.

Maoists used light machine guns (LMGs) and low-intensity improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to target the personnel. Sources said Maoists carried around a dozen of their dead operatives on tractor trolleys.

Maoists are said to have encircled the security personnel from three sides and a heavy gun battle ensued in the jungle which are devoid of any foliage at present.

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(Published 05 April 2021, 09:12 IST)