Naxalites drew jawans into trap, used LMGs, IEDs

New Delhi/Raipur, April 4

The ambush that left 22 security personnel dead was led by some 400 Maoists who surrounded the jawans from three sides in an area devoid of vegetation and rained bullets from light machine guns (LMGs) and also used IEDs to mount the attack that went on till evening, officials said.

The Maoists carried their dead, estimated to be about 10-12, on tractor-trailers and also decamped with some sophisticated arms.

Officials said inputs were received that Naxals were conducting a counter-offensive exercise in the Jagargunda-Jongaguda-Tarrem axis and the forces were deputed to intercept and neutralise them.

The Maoists, however, drew the forces into a trap from three sides with heavy gunfire, they added. Even the rescue choppers could not land in the ambush area till around 2 pm on Saturday as heavy exchange of fire was taking place. The choppers could land only around 5 pm to pick up those who sustained injuries, the officials said.

“The Maoists drew the forces into an ambush with heavy gunfire and encircled the security personnel from three sides. A heavy gunbattle ensued in the jungles which are devoid of any foliage at present,” a senior official said. The security personnel took cover behind large trees and kept firing till they ran out of ammunition, he added.

At one location, he added, seven bodies of the troops were recovered and the tree trunks bore bullet marks, indicating that a fierce gunbattle took place in the area.

About two dozen sophisticated assault weapons of the slain personnel are also stated to have been looted by the Naxals even as security officials said the search of the area was still on and details were being collected from the ground. — TNS/PTI

Personnel killed

District Reserve Guard

• Sub-Inspector Deepak Bhardwaj
• Head Constable Ramesh K Zurri
• Head Constable Narayan Sodhi
• Constable Ramesh Korsa
• Constable Subhash Naik
• Assistant Constable Kishor Andrik
• Asst Constable.Sankuram Sodhi
• Asst Constable Bhosaram Kartami

Special Task Force

• Head Constable Shravan Kashyap
• Constable Ramdas Korrram
• Constable Jagatram Kanwar
• Constable Sukhsingh Faras
• Constable Ramashankar Paikra
• Constable Shankarnath

CoBRA (210 bn)

• Inspector Dilip Kumar Das
• Head Constable Raj Kumar Yadav
• Constable Shambhurai
• Constable Dharmdev Kumar
• Constable SM Krishna
• Constable R Jagdish
• Constable Bablu Rabha

Bastariya Battalion

• Constable Samaiyaa Maravi