26 CRPF Personnel Killed In Naxal Attack In Sukma, 7 Missing

NationalDefence Bureau,
New Delhi, 24 April 2017

At least 24 CRPF personnel killed and 6 injured in an ambush by naxalite near Chintagufa in Sukma district of Chhatisgarh while another 7 are still missing. A CRPF source informed National Defence that a company of 74 battalion come under direct ambush by naxalite resulting in heavy exchange of fire from both the sides. Another source however, confirmed that IED was also used in the attack when CRPF personnels were deployed for road opening. According to sources, 2 more personnel also succumbed to injuries leading to the death toll rise to 26.  

Approximately at 1500 hrs message was received by IAFs Anti Naxal Task Force Commander about the ambush of CRPF team at Burkapal area of Sukma District to airlift 03 casualties. Immediately two IAF Mi-17 V5s of Jagdalpur detachment took off for Burkapal. One of the MI-17 was flying in escort role. On landing at venue of ambush it was learned that there were eleven Mortals remains of CRPF Martyrs for airlift and seven casualties. Immediately casualties were air lifted to Raipur and shifted to hospital. One of the casualty succumbed to injuries in flight on the way to Raipur. Helicopter landed with casualties at Raipur approximately at 1700 Hrs.

More helicopters have been launched from Raipur and Jagdalpur to evacuate mortal remains of martyrs.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his grief and conveyed condolenses to the families of the martyred jawans. Extremely pained to know about the killing of CRPF personnel in Sukma. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families. 1/2

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

Spoke to MoS Home Shri Hansraj Ahir about the attack in Sukma. Shri Ahir is going to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 24, 2017

PM Modi condemned the attack and condoled the deaths of the CRPF personnels in a series of tweets.

Attack on @crpfindia personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly & deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

We are proud of the valour of our @crpfindia personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

May those injured in today's attack in Chhattisgarh recover at the earliest.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2017

In another attack in Piperdhaba area of Balrampur in Chhatisgarh, 3 other CRPF personnel also injured. One Mi-17 launched from Ranchi for casualty evacuation. 

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Update: CRPF Sources say the number of martyred CRPF personnel is 25.

The names of martyrs as released by CRPF are as follows:

1. Insp/GD Raghubir Singh

2. SI/GD K.K. Das

3. ASI/GD Sanjay Kumar

4. ASI/GD Rameswar Lal

5. ASI/GD Naresh Kumar

6. HC/RO Surender Kumar

7. HC/RO Banna Ram

8. HC/GD L.P. Singh

9. HC/GD Naresh Yadav

10. HC/GD Padmanabhan

11. CT/GD Saurabh Kumar

12. CT/GD Abhay Mishra

13. CT/GD Banmali Ram

14. CT/GD N.P. Sonkar

15. CT/GD K.K. Pandey

16. CT/GD Vinay Chandra Burman

17. CT/GD P. Alagupandi

18. CT/GD Abhay Kumar

19. CT/GD N. Senthil Kumar

20. CT/GD N. Thirumurgan

21. CT/GD Ranjit Kumar

22. CT/GD Ashish Singh

23. CT/GD Manoj Kumar

24. CT/GD Anup Karmakar

25. HC/GD Ram Mehar (at Raipur)