Two CoBRA jawans injured in face-off with Naxals

Raipur: Two jawans of CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit were today injured in a gun-battle between security forces and Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, police said.

The face-off took place in the restive forest under Chintagufa police station limits when a joint squad of Central Reserve Police Force, CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) and district police was carrying out an anti-Naxal operation this afternoon, Sukma Superintendent of Police D Shrawan told PTI.

When the security personnel were cordoning off a restive patch of the forest, around 7 km from Chintagufa, a group of armed rebels opened indiscriminate firing on them following which they retaliated, the SP said.

After the gun-fight that lasted for around an hour, the ultras fled into the deep forest when they found that the security personnel were zeroing-in on them, he said.

However, two constables of CoBRA 206 battalion sustained bullet injuries in the face-off, he said.

Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and a chopper was sent to retrieve the injured jawans, the SP said.

“They were being airlifted to Raipur for treatment and their condition was stated to be out of danger,” he said.

The anti-Naxal operation is still underway in the region, located around 450 km from the state capital, he said.

PTI