Hours after a security camp was commissioned in Jagargunda district of Chhattisgarh, three CRPF personnel were killed and 15 others injured in a Naxalite attack. On January 30, a police camp was inaugurated in Tekelguda village on the Sukma-Bijapur border. The area is in the heart of Naxalite and the camp was set up as part of an exercise in areas controlled by central and state forces.

A statement issued by the Bastar police said the Naxalites opened fire on a patrol guarding the perimeter of the new camp. “The Maoists opened fire on the patrolling party. CoBRA, STF and DRG retaliated immediately. At least six Naxals were killed,” said P Sundarraj, superintendent of police, Bastar.

A combing and search operation was launched immediately after the attack.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met the injured soldiers who were airlifted to Raipur and Jagdalpur. The CM condemned the incident in a post on social media website X.

Jagargonda key to anti-Naxal strategy

Security officials told CNN-News18 that new camps are being set up in Jagargunda near Sukma district, which is key to the government’s anti-Naxal strategy.

The three new anti-Naxal axes of security camps and road construction are at the heart of the strategy to counter extremists. Sukma, located on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, and Bijapur, bordering Maharashtra, are key areas in the fight against the CPI(Maoist).

Donapal to Jharghargonda, Injaram to Beji and Kishtaram to Paloli have been marked as key axes to restrict the Naxal movement. “From Injaram, proceed to Beji. On the other hand, the camp and road from Chintagufa to Pidmel are under construction. Together they form a triangle, cutting off the Naxalites from Operations from Malkangiri, Odisha to Sukma and on to Bijapur — this was the corridor they had frequented earlier,” a commander of the Central Reserve Police Force told CNN-News18.

Senior officials said setbacks like the one on Tuesday were risks that had to be taken as the Naxalites would resist all attempts by forces to establish bases in the areas. Sukma and Bijapur are the last two districts in Chhattisgarh where the Maoists still hold sway.

PLGA Battalion 1 suspected to be behind attack

The 1st Battalion of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army, once commanded by Naxalite leader Sidma, is believed to be behind Tuesday’s attack. After Sidma became a member of the Central Committee, Deva was suspected of commanding the battalion. The People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) is the military branch of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). The 1st Battalion became infamous for its daring attacks on forces led by Hidmar. In 2021, the CPI (Maoist) killed 23 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in the same area of ​​Tekelguda.

The area, located on the Sukma-Bijapur border from Jagargonda to Sikeli, is a vast area used by the People’s Liberation Army for its annual training camps. A secure base here meant cutting off the 1st Battalion’s free movement.

Bastar IG Sundarraj said despite the setbacks suffered in 2021, the forces remained committed to controlling these jungle areas. He said it had been decided not to move the camp after Tuesday’s attack.