New Delhi, Apr 04 :
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asked Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Kuldiep Singh to visit Chhattisgarh to assess the situation in the wake of killing of 22 security personnel in an encounter with Naxals, officials said. Shah also spoke to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and took stock of the situation, they said. Five security personnel were killed and 30 others injured on Saturday in the encounter with Naxals in a forest along the border between Bijapur and Sukma districts in Chhattisgarh. Bodies of 17 of the 18 jawans missing after the encounter were recovered on Sunday, taking the death toll to 22, police said. Baghel, while briefing Shah about the encounter, said the Naxals have indulged in such acts of violence just to show their presence as people are getting disillusioned with the Maoists ideology and that the extremists will be defeated. A Chhattisgarh government
Shah directs CRPF
spokesperson said the chief minister told the home minister that the morale of the security forces is high and they will win against the Naxals in this fight.
Shah too said that the battle against the Naxals will definitely be won as it will be fought together by the central and state governments, the spokesperson said.
The chief minister told the home minister that people are disillusioned with the Maoist ideology due to the development works being carried out by the state government with regards to health, education and other areas even in far off places.
As a result, the Naxals are indulging in such violent acts to show their presence, he said.
Baghel said the state government is not scared of such acts of violence and has resolved to carry forward its development works in every village of the state.
Earlier, Shah said in a tweet that the valour of the security personnel who laid down their lives fighting the extremists will never be forgotten.
The home minister also said that the government will continue its fight against such enemies of peace and progress.
“I bow to the sacrifices of our brave security personnel martyred while fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. Nation will never forget their valour. My condolences are with their families. We will continue our fight against these enemies of peace & progress. May injured recover soon,” he said.
