Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh: Rajnath Singh pays tribute to CRPF jawans killed in ambush

New Delhi | April 25,2017|Indian Express Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his pain over the killing of 24 CRPF jawans in the Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh on Monday. Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir is apparently on the way to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation. In a series of tweets that he posted hours after one of the deadliest Naxal attacks on Monday evening, Rajnath Singh said:” [I am] extremely pained to know about the killing of [the] CRPF personnel in Sukma [Chhattisgarh]. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. [I] spoke to MoS Home [Affairs] Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.” Earlier on Monday, in a major strike by Naxals in Sukma districts, 24 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed. The attack took place in the state’s south Bastar area between Burkapal-Chintagufa area. The region is one of the worst-hit in the country by Maoist violence and the worst-hit area in the state. The attack took place at around 12:25 pm on Monday when a patrolling party of the 74 Battalion of the CRPF was ambushed by around 300 naxals, according to a statement given by an injured jawan to ANI. The naxals sent villagers to scour the area and trace out the patrolling party and then nearly 300 naxals ambushed them. The CRPF party was of around 150 troops. This is the second major incident of Maoist violence in the country this year. The last incident took place in Sukma on March 12 where 12 CRPF jawans of the 219 Battalion were killed. This was also the deadliest Naxal attack since 2013.