Two CRPF commandos killed, 14 hurt in anti-Naxal ops in Chhattisgarh

Officials said while the two commandos succumbed to bullet injuries late evening, at least 14 others including team leader were injured.

Raipur: Two CRPF commandos were killed while over a dozen injured in multiple encounters between security forces and Naxals on Thursday in Chhattisgarh's worst Maoist violence-affected Sukma district.

Officials said while the two commandos succumbed to bullet injuries late evening, at least 14 others including team leader and Commandant P S Yadav were injured.

The others who sustained bullet and splinter injuries include Assistant Commandant Yogendra, Sub-Inspector Rajveer Singh, Head constable Santosh and Constable Sona Ram.

They said the patrol team encountered multiple ambushes and fire fights beginning 12.30 PM and some teams of the squad,

till late night, were still engaging in intermittent gunfire with Naxals in the area.

The incident involves personnel of CRPF's exclusive jungle warfare unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) with the first encounter with Maoists occurring in the jungles of Dabbanarka of Sukma in Bastar area.

While Singh was hit first in the exchange of fire, the others were injured in the later part of the operation.

The officials said the men belonged to the 208th CoBRA battalion and have been air evacuated and sent to a hospital.

Security forces personnel, including those from Central Reserve Police Force, CoBRA and state police, were combing the area till late, they said.

"The encounter spot is deep inside jungles and hence there is weak connectivity with the patrol squad," an official said.