Raipur, April 4: As many as 15 jawans have gone missing after a 3-hour-long encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday. Giving details of the encounter, Chhattisgarh DGP DM Awasthi informed that five security personnel died in the gunfight with Naxals and around 10 others were injured in an exchange of fire in jungles near Tarrem, Bijapur. According to the latest update, the bodies of two out of five jawans who died in the gunfight have been recovered. Among the martyred personnel, one belonged to the CoBRA unit and two each are from the DRG and the ''Bastariya'' battalion of the CRPF. Naxal Attack in Chhattisgarh: Special Task Force Jawan Martyred in IED Blast in Bijapur.

As per details by Chhattisgarh Police sources, among injured jawans, 23 admitted to Bijapur Hospital while seven are at Raipur hospital. The efforts to trace the missing jawans are currently underway. Reports inform that a body of a woman Maoist was also recovered from the encounter spot.

Here are the tweets:

On Saturday afternoon, an encounter broke out between the patrolling team that was dispatched from Tarrem and ultras belonging PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerilla Army) battalion of Maoists near Jonaguda village under Jagargunda police station area in Sukma. Gadchiroli: 5 Naxals Killed in Encounter With Police in Khobramendha Forest Area.

According to Chhattisgarh Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) OP Pal, separate joint teams of security forces, over 2,000 in number, had launched a major anti-Naxal operation from Bijapur and Sukma districts in the South Bastar forests, considered as the Maoist stronghold.

The anti-Naxal operation was launched from five places - Tarrem, Usoor and Pamed (Bijapur) and Minpa and Narsapuram (Sukma). Personnel belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), the District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the operation launched.

This was the second major Naxal incident in the state in the last 10 days.  Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has condemned the incident and said the martyrdom of the jawans will not go in vain, and the anti-Naxal operation will be intensified, an official statement said. "Our jawans have displayed exemplary courage by inflicting massive damage on Naxals (in this incident). Operation against Naxals will be intensified," the CM said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 04, 2021 08:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).