Nine Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans were killed Tuesday afternoon after Naxals blew up a Mine-Protected Vehicle (MPV) in the Sukma district of northern Indian state of Chhattisgarh's.
- 10 CRPF personnel have also been injured in the powerful IED blast that took place at 12:30 pm
- The personnel's MPV was blown up when they were conducting an area-domination operation in a forest in the Kistaram area of Bastar division
- The injured personnel have been airlifted to Raipur. The condition of four of the injured personnel is said to be critical
- The casualties are expected to rise, reported Indian Express
- Earlier, a team of 208 CoBRA personnel had been attacked Tuesday morning by Naxals in the same area. However, the militants were defeated
- Home Minister Rajnath Singh has directed the CRPF DG to leave for Chhattisgarh and take stock of the situation
Today’s IED blast in Sukma, Chhattisgarh is deeply distressing. I bow to each and every security personnel who attained martyrdom while serving the nation.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 13, 2018
- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to condole the death of the soldiers
Deeply saddened at the news coming from #Sukma. Lives of at least nine CRPF jawans lost. My heartfelt homage to all the martyrs. Strength to their families. Jai Hind
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 13, 2018
- The jawans belonged to the 212 Battalion of the CRPF
- On April 24, 2017, 25 CRPF jawans of the 74 Battalion had been killed in a Naxal attack that took place in Chintagufa area of the Sukma district
- In March 2017, at least 12 jawans of the CRPF were killed, while four others were injured in an ambush by Maoists in the same district. The soldiers were attacked when they were patrolling the dense forest near Kotacheru village
