The martyrdom of two jawans in a fierce encounter with Naxalites in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh, will continue to inspire other security personnel in their mission to eliminate Naxalism, said Director General of Police (DGP) Arun Dev Gautam on Monday.
The encounter, which took place on Sunday, led to the death of 31 Naxalites, including 11 women. Head constable Naresh Dhruv of the District Reserve Guard and constable Vasit Ravte from the Special Task Force (STF) were killed during the gunfight.
DGP Gautam paid his respects to the two martyred jawans during a wreath-laying ceremony at the New Police Lines. Speaking to the media, he praised the bravery of the security forces, stating, "Our jawans executed the operation with courage. They neutralised 31 Naxalites in a difficult area, the Indravati National Park, known for its challenging terrain and dense forests."
He added, "I pay my homage to the two brave martyrs. Their sacrifice will inspire the rest of our forces in the ongoing battle against Naxalism."
Public representatives from both the BJP and Congress, along with senior police officials and members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), also paid their tributes to the fallen personnel.
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Sunday's encounter is one of the largest operations in Chhattisgarh's fight against Naxalism. The gunfight occurred on a forested hill along the border of Madded and Farsegarh police station areas in Bijapur.
This successful operation brings the total number of Naxalites neutralised by security forces in Chhattisgarh this year to 81. Of these, 65 rebels were killed in the Bastar division, which includes seven districts, including Bijapur.
In 2023, security forces had neutralised 219 Naxalites in separate encounters across Chhattisgarh.
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