DRG jawan injured in skirmish with Naxals

Raipur, May 18: A District Reserve Group (DRG) jawan was today injured in a gun-fight with Maoists in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said.

The skirmish took place during the wee hours in the forests of Munga village when a squad of the state's DRG forces was carrying out an anti-Naxal operation in the region, located around 450 kms away from here, they said.

"Constable Gopal Rotel sustained injuries on his leg in the gun-fight following which he was airlifted to Jagdalpur for treatment this morning," Jagdalpur City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Deepmala Kashyap said.

He has been admitted to Maharani Hospital where his condition was said to be out of danger, the CSP said. Security forces had launched the operation from Gangaloor to the interior forests last night.

While they were cordoning off jungles of Munga, a group of armed Naxals opened indiscriminate firing on them from a hilltop leaving the DRG jawan injured, she said.

However, the ultras soon fled from the spot after security forces retaliated, the CSP said, adding reinforcement was rushed to the spot after the incident.

PTI