Sukma attack: Naxals kill 9 CRPF jawans, 6 injured: Top 10 developments

Today's Sukma attack comes almost 11 days after security personnel killed 10 alleged Naxalites in the Chhattisgarh

Nine CRPF personnel were on Tuesday killed after suspected Naxals blew up their mine-protected vehicle in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, around a year after a dozen jawans were killed in a similar ambush in the district. Officials said the incident took place around 12:30 PM along the Kistaram-Palodi road of the district when the troops of the 212th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were out on an operation.At least nine men have been killed, while two other jawans suffered injuries after the mine-protected vehicle was blown up by multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) concealed under the dirt track, a senior official said.Top 10 developments

1. Naxalites struck in a stunning fashionThe incident took place near Gollapalli on Kistaaram-Palodi road in Sukma district---about 500 km south of state capital. The incident took place today morning when CRPF jawans from the 212 battalion deployed in the area were returning to Palodi camp after an operation.The blast injured six CRPF personnel, of which four are said to be critical. Injured personnel are being airlifted to Raipur. Soon after the incident, reinforcements were rushed to the spot, around 500 kms from state capital Raipur.2. The CRPF personnel were carrying out an area-domination operation in the area, when their mine-protected vehicle (MPV) was reportedly blown up. The government had procured such vehicles from the Centre for anti-Naxal operations. The rebels taking cover in the area opened fire on the jawans.

Police suspect about 150 Naxalites in the combat fatigue were present in the site

3. Explosives usedAccording to a state police official, the rebels used a lot of explosives to blow up the vehicle.4. Officials added that the first encounter between the two sides took place at 8 am and later this contingent was targeted by the Maoists.

5. Rajnath Singh calls the blast 'distressing'"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," he tweeted.My heartfelt condolences to the families of those personnel who lost their lives in Sukma blast.

I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans. I spoke to DG CRPF regarding the Sukma incident and asked him to leave for Chhattisgarh.6. Politicians across India condemned the attackReally sad news from Chhattisgarh. Eight CRPF personnel martyred in blast during search operation in Chhattisgarh's Sukma.

7. Today's attack comes almost 11 days after security personnel killed 10 alleged Naxalites in the stateThe alleged Naxalites were killed in a joint operation by Telangana Police and ChhattisgarhPolice in Pujari Kanker in the state's Bijapur district. A policeman was injured in the operation. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of the Special Task Force and the District Reserve Guard raided a Naxal hideout on the hillock, about 18km from Barsoor.8. It also comes few months after 25 CRPF jawans were slaughtered in one of the deadliest attacks by Maoist rebels.Around 300-400 Leftist insurgents ambushed and outgunned 99 troopers deployed to help with the construction of a road through the Maoist stronghold of Sukma in Chhattisgarh.This was one of the three biggest attacks on security forces in seven years, and the second in the last one and a half months. In 2013, 27 people, including Congress functionaries V C Shukla, Mahendra Karma and Nand Kumar Patel, were killed in an ambush by Maoists in Darbha valley.9. Last year in March, 12 CRPF personnel were ambushed in SukmaSuspected Maoist rebels ambushed a road opening party of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in March and killed at least 12 troopers in insurgency-hit Sukma district ofChhattisgarh. The Maoists also looted 10 weapons from the dead personnel in the area around 450km away from the state capital. Five troopers were injured in the attack.

10. A crackdown on Maoist rebels has led to a rise in the number of casualties in the countryThe Maoist control in what is euphemistically called the "Red Corridor" - spread across the states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh - has been dwindling as the government has sent tens of thousands of paramilitary forces into the affected states. Here are the regions that are most affected.

Shahnawaz Hussain

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