Another jawan was injured in separate action
Ajawan belonged to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) martyred while another was injured in a deadly Naxal ambush at two separate jungle locations on Saturday in the restive Dantewada district of mineral-rich Bastar region, a senior police official informed.
SP Kl Kashyap said, a road opening party (ROP) of 160th battalion of the Central para-military force had started from Awapalli police station. The police party, while scanning roads for explosives, had reached near the jungles of Murdunda village about 2.5 km from the police station. Suddenly, the Naxal cadre who were awaiting in the bush opened indiscriminate fire on the patrol party.
CRPF jawans too retaliated and the intermittent gun battle lasted for about an hour. Naxals after finding themselves encircled by security forces, ran for cover in a nearby thick forested area. During the gun fight, Jignesh Patel, a native of Gujarat, was killed, the SP informed.
In another incident, jawans of CoBRA battalion who were on a search operation had face-off with Naxals in a forested patch near Reddy village under Gangaloor police station. In the gun battle between both sides a jawan was injured who was rushed to district hospital Bijapur and was later referred to Maharani Hospital Jagdalpur, said SP, adding the a bullet hit in the hand of jawan and his condition was said to be out of danger.
The SP further informed that tiffin bombs, detonator, gunpowder and materials used in making explosives were seized from Naxals in Mirtur area after a brief gun battle.
A joint police party consisting of CRPF and DF men was conducting a search operation in the jungle under Mirtoor area about 80 km from district headquarters when they confronted left wing insurgents. Both the sides engaged in gun battle and Naxals had to run away seeing the increasing pressure on them, SP maintained.