Nine CRPF Men Killed in Blast Triggered by Naxals in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR:
As many as nine Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and three others critically injured when Maoists blew up a mine protected vehicle (MPV) at Kistaram in the strife-torn Sukma district on Tuesday.
According to the Sukma police, around twelve jawans of the 212th battalion of CRPF were on board the anti-landmine vehicle. Additional reinforcement has been rushed to the spot. A chopper has also been sent from Jagdalpur to air-lift the injured personnel to Raipur.
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 were out on an operation. Officials added that the first encounter between the two sides took place at 8 am and later this contingent was targeted by the Maoists.
The rebels used a lot of explosives to blow up the vehicle, the official said. The incident happens around a year after a dozen jawans were killed in a similar ambush in the Sukma district.
Twelve personnel of the force were killed on March 11 last year in the Bheji area of the district and their arms looted, when Naxals ambushed their patrol party. A few days later on April 24, twenty-five personnel of the paramilitary were killed in a similar ambush in Sukma.
Sukma is among the seven worst-affected district by Maoist violence in the conflict zone of Bastar. In Chhattisgarh, the left-wing extremists have the presence in 16 of the 27 districts.