26 CRPF personnel martyred, 6 hurt in Chhattisgarh encounter

Jagdalpur: Twenty six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were today martyred and six injured during an ambush with Naxals within a forest in the vicinity of Sukma district's Burkapal village, police said. A joint team from the Chintagufa police station had set out on patrol when Maoists opened fire on police provoking retaliation.

Following an hour-long exchange, the rebels fled into dense jungle. “The deceased personnel belonged to the CRPF’s 74th Battalion. The injured were airlifted to Raipur. Circumstantial evidence, including bloodstains and dragging marks indicate that at least 4-5 ultras were neutralised and several injured. However, the extremists managed to take away the corpses,” said Bastar Deputy Inspector General of Police P Sunderraj. (UNI)