Bloody Bastar: 62 security personnel killed in 8 months

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Oct 20 (UNI) As many as 62 security personnel were martyred in naxal assaults over the past eight months in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division while police action killed more than 40 rebels.

Police said that the martyred personnel included 12 special police officers. During the attacks, the Maoists looted in excess of 50 modern weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Deputy Commandant Diwakar Mahapatra and four constables were killed when their patrol jeep was blown up on September 29 during President Pratibha Devisingh Patil's visit to the world-renowned Chitrakote waterfall. The personnel were part of related security arrangements.

The major assaults: February 2: CRPF Sub-Inspector Roshanlal Minj and three constables were killed in a landmine blast in Narayanpur district's Kurushnar area. Ultras looted an AK-47 assault rifle, two carbines and an INSAS (Indian National Small Arms System) rifle.

February 18: CRPF Head Constable S Singh and four constables were killed in an encounter near Bijapur district's Todmel forest.

Thirteen militants were also killed. Their accomplices looted a mortar, three AK-47 rifles and two INSAS rifles.

March 18: Seventeen extremists, including five women, were killed by Andhra Pradesh's Greyhound Force personnel in an encounter in Bijapur district's jungles. Two AK-47 rifles, five self-loading rifles (SLRs) and as many .303 rifles were seized from the insurgents.

June 25: Three Chhattisgarh Armed Force constables were killed in a landmine blast near Narayanpur district's Mandali village.

August 29: CRPF Sub-Inspector R S Kog and five constables were killed when a CRPF vehicle was blown up by a landmine near Benur by the Kondagaon-Narayanpur road.

October 20: Twelve CRPF constables killed in a landmine blast and firing on the Bijapur-Bhopalpatnam road near Kokampalli village. The insurgents looted a mortar, an AK-47, a SLR and five INSAS rifles.

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