Naxal violence: 54 cops, 120 ultras killed in last two years, Chhattisgarh govt tells Assembly

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government on Thursday said Naxal violence claimed the lives of 54 security personnel, including 18 from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), in the state in the last two years. Besides, 120 Naxals were also killed in encounters with security forces, while 659 ultras surrendered during the same period, it said. The details were given by state Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu in a written reply in the Assembly while responding to a question raised by Leader of the Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik. “Fifty-four security personnel, including 18 from the CAPF, were martyred in Naxal violence from 2019 till 31 January this year,” Sahu said. The minister also informed that 79 Naxals were killed in encounters and 315 surrendered in 2019, while 41 ultras were killed and 344 surrendered in 2020. He said out of Rs 28.88 crore (collective) compensation which was supposed to be given to the kin of this deceased personnel, Rs 26.63 crore has been disbursed while Rs 2.25 crore is yet to be given. Of the 36 deceased personnel belonging to the state police, compensatory jobs have been given in 29 cases, the minister said in his reply. “The above-mentioned compensation includes the insurance money and ex-gratia given by the state government to the kin of the central security forces personnel killed in the state in Naxal violence,” he said.