12 CRPF soldiers killed in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh, Rajnath Singh pays tribute

Twelve Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldierswere killed on Saturdaywhen Naxals ambushed a road opening party of the security forces in Maoist-hit Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, police said.

Five jawans were also injured in the attack that took place in the dense forests of Bhejji police station limits at 9:15 am when a patrol party of CRPF's 219 battalion was out for a road opening task near Kotacheru village.

The Bhejji area in south Bastar region of the state is notorious for Naxal attacks and many security personnel have been killed therein the past. It is considered as the last bastion of the Naxalsas the area sits right on the tri-junction of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

The Naxals looted ten weapons, including six INSAS rifles, four AK-47s, a light machine gun, 1,587 bullet rounds, an under-barrel grenade launcher, a 51mm mortar, two para bombs and two radio sets, officials said.

India's home minister Rajnath Singh arrived inChhattisgarh and paid tributes to the fallen soldiers, along withChhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh. He called the attack a cowardly act and said the Naxals had executed the attack as aresult of their frustration.

"Naxal attack on CRPF men in Sukma cowardly act. Sacrifices of the personnel won't go in vain," Rajnath Singh told PTI.

"Naxals on the backfoot and executed this attack in frustration," added the home minister.

PM Modi spoketo Rajnath Singh almost immediately on the situation in Sukma. He lateroffered condolences to the families of CRPF personnel killed in the Sukma Naxal attack.

(WION)