Govt determined to end Naxal menace: Amit Shah

New Delhi, Apr 05: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the government is determined to take the ongoing fight against the unrest created by naxals to its logical conclusion.

The minister, who is on a visit to Chhattisgarh, made the comment after paying tributes to the 22 security personnel who were killed by naxals in the state on Saturday.

"Paid tributes to the brave security personnel who were martyred while fighting the naxalites at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

"The country will never forget your bravery and sacrifice. The whole country stands behind the bereaved families. We are determined to take the ongoing fight against the unrest created by the naxals to its logical conclusion," said Shah.

Addressing the reporters, Shah said "On behalf of PM, Central govt and the country, I pay tributes to the security personnel who lost their lives in the Naxal attack. The country will always remember their sacrifice for taking the fight against Naxals to a decisive turn."

"I want to assure the countrymen that this battle (against Naxals) will be intensified and we will win it in the end. We have successfully set up camps in interior areas in last few years, which has annoyed Naxals resulting in such type of incidents," he added.

22 jawans were martyred in the worst ever Naxal attack in four years that resulted from an ambush by some 400 insurgents who surrounded the jawans from three sides in an area devoid of vegetation and rained on them machinegun fire as well as IEDs for several hours.

Out of the total 22 fatalities, the CRPF lost eight men including seven CoBRA commandos while one jawan is from the Bastariya battalion, eight from DRG and five from Special Task Force. A CRPF Inspector is still missing.

Some 10-12 Naxals are also believed to have died in the fierce gunbattle that ensued. A total of 31 security personnel were also injured.

Helicopters, which were requisitioned to evacuate the injured personnel, could make the first landing only after 5 PM on Saturday when the gunfire had ended.

On Sunday, Shah, who cancelled his public meetings in poll-bound Assam, chaired a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation. Shah also spoke to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. He condoled the death of the security personnel in the encounter and said their valour will never be forgotten.

The government will continue its fight against the enemies of peace and progress, the home minister said.