Three CRPF men killed in anti-Naxal op in Sukma

Three CRPF commandos have been killed and over a dozen injured after multiple encounters took place between security forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s worst Maoist violence-affected Sukma district.

Officials said while two commandos, identified as constables Linju N and Fateh Singh had succumbed to their bullet injuries on Thursday, their collegaue Lakshman Singh died on Friday. At least 15 others, including CoBRA Comamnder P S Yadav and the chief of the state polices’ District Reserve Group (DRG), have been injured in the encounter which ended early on Friday. The patrol squad that came under fire in the jungles of the district, has been brought to the Kistaram police station from the encounter site of Dabbanarka in Sukma by multiple Mi-17 helicopter sorties, they said.

Inspector General (Bastar range) S R P Kalluri and Sukma Superintendent of Police D Shravan are camping at Kistaram, about 500 kms from Raipur to monitor the operations, they said. The others who sustained bullet and splinter injuries include Assistant Commandant Yogendra, Sub-Inspector Rajveer Singh, Head constable Santosh, Constable Sona Ram and some men of the DRG.