Naxals took away sophisticated arms after CRPF ambush in Sukma

Raipur: An assortment of sophisticated weaponry belonging to security personnel, including 10 AK — series rifles, were carried off by the Naxals from the site of the encounter in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Monday which left 14 CRPF jawans dead and over a dozen others injured. An assessment report says that the team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel lost about 10 AK 47/56 rifles, one self—loading rifle, an INSAS rifle and about 400 rounds of ammunition in the gunfight which took place in the jungles in the Chintagufa police station area of the district. [caption id=“attachment_1825067” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Three AK rifles in this cache were of an advanced configuration, fitted with the powerful under—barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs). The report also said that 14 suspected Naxals were killed while 15 others were injured in the gunfight which lasted over four hours. The entire command of the CRPF party which was caught in the encounter — 223rd battalion — was killed in the action, including its Deputy Commandant BS Verma, Assistant Commandant Rajesh Kapooriya and Sub—Inspector HR Sharma. One SI of the unit has been critically injured. The report said that the Naxals, when engaged by the CRPF personnel near Kasalapada village, made ‘human shields’ of the local villagers, including women and the aged. “The operation in the area has been called off but some search parties are still there to check for any movement of ultras,” a senior officer said. Meanwhile, two IAF Mi—17 choppers flew sorties on Tuesday and brought back the first batch of injured personnel from the encounter area to Jagdalpur, the district headquarters of Bastar region. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit the injured and meet top CRPF and State police officers even as acting CRPF chief and Special Director General RC Tayal and Inspector General (Operations) Zulfiquar Hasan have arrived from Delhi. PTI