CRPF officer dies in Naxal ambush in Chhattisgarh

Bijapur (Chhattisgarh): A CRPF officer was martyred and a constable injured during a heavy exchange of fire that followed a Maoist ambush on Saturday at Putkel forest within Basaguda Police Station limits of this district in Left-wing extremism-affected Bastar division.

A detachment of the 168th Battalion had set out towards Usur block’s Timmapur on a search operation. The gun-battle resulted in the death of Assistant Commandant SB Tirkey who hailed from Jharkhand. The injured constable was rushed to the District Hospital.

The rebels also suffered casualties as evidenced by patches of blood observed on the scene. A search has been intensified in the area, Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap said.