With a week to go for elections in Bastar, four BSF jawans were killed and two others were injured in an exchange of fire with Maoists in the Pakhanjur area of Kanker district on Thursday afternoon. While the Bastar Lok Sabha seat goes to polls on April 11, the Kanker Lok Sabha seat goes to polls in the second phase on April 18.
With a week to go for elections in Bastar, four BSF jawans were killed and two others were injured in an exchange of fire with Maoists in the Pakhanjur area of Kanker district on Thursday afternoon. While the Bastar Lok Sabha seat goes to polls on April 11, the Kanker Lok Sabha seat goes to polls in the second phase on April 18.
Senior police officials said that the encounter took place at around 11:45 am when a combined team of the BSF 114th battalion and district police left Mohla camp. The BSF is the paramilitary force that is deployed in Kanker district.
P Sundar Raj, DIG of Anti Naxal Operations said, “The area domination team had left in the morning from the BSF camp in Mohla. There was an encounter in the jungles in which four BSF jawans were killed, and two were injured. Those that were injured have been rushed to Raipur for treatment.”
Sources in the police said that the exchange of fire was the result of the Maoist ambush, and there was a heavy exchange of fire on both sides.
BSF sources said that they expected Maoist injuries or fatalities as well, but no bodies have been recovered. They admitted that preliminary investigations suggest that the Maoists had planned an ambush.
Both Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Governor Anandiben Patel condemned the deaths and expressed their condolences. Baghel said that the state government would not tolerate violence in the state, and said that jawans were sufficient to deal with Maoists, and they would reply appropriately.
Senior police officials said that the encounter took place at around 11:45 am when a combined team of the BSF 114th battalion and district police left Mohla camp. The BSF is the paramilitary force that is deployed in Kanker district.
P Sundar Raj, DIG of Anti Naxal Operations said, “The area domination team had left in the morning from the BSF camp in Mohla. There was an encounter in the jungles in which four BSF jawans were killed, and two were injured. Those that were injured have been rushed to Raipur for treatment.”
Sources in the police said that the exchange of fire was the result of the Maoist ambush, and there was a heavy exchange of fire on both sides.
BSF sources said that they expected Maoist injuries or fatalities as well, but no bodies have been recovered. They admitted that preliminary investigations suggest that the Maoists had planned an ambush.
Both Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Governor Anandiben Patel condemned the deaths and expressed their condolences. Baghel said that the state government would not tolerate violence in the state, and said that jawans were sufficient to deal with Maoists, and they would reply appropriately.