Chhattisgarh: Naxal killed in encounter with CRPF

Raipur: A Naxal, allegedly involved in several murder cases, was killed in an encounter with CRPF jawans in Dantewada district, police said on Monday. The incident occurred yesterday when the CRPF jawans guarding a helipad at Purangel village came under fire from the insurgents. A helicopter was to land at the spot to evacuate two injured jawans of CoBRA 199 battalion. The jawans -- Lakshman Singh (22) and Chhabilal (24) -- were injured in the Naxal attack in Bijapur district that had taken place yesterday.

"22-year-old Masu, the deputy commander of Jan Militia Group of Maoists, was killed in an encounter with CRPF jawans in Purangel village under Aranpur police station area on Sunday," Dantewada SP Narendra Khare said. Masu was involved in several cases of loot, arson and murder in the region, he said. Khare said the naxals fled to jungle when CRPF jawans retaliated. "While cordoning off the encounter spot this morning, jawans found the body of Masu," the SP said, adding that police found blood stains at the spot indicating that some more ultras might either have been killed or injured in the gun battle. "Later, the injured jawans were air-lifted to a private hospital at Raipur for treatment," Khare said. An air-gun, a bag and a knife were recovered from the site. PTI