Bullet extracted from neck after Chhattisgarh girl injured in Maoist encounter undergoes surgery

On Friday, a team of 12 doctors operated on her. Deputy Medical Superintendent of DKS hospital, Dr Hemant Sharma, told The Indian Express, “The bullet was lodged in a highly critical place. We had to ensure her nerves did not get damaged and there was no infection. The girl has been kept under observation. The next 48 hours are crucial.”

According to security forces, the encounter in Abujhmad had broken out at around 3 am on December 12 and left seven Maoists dead. There was, however, no information provided at the time on any injuries to civilians.

On Tuesday, a senior police officer told The Indian Express: “Four minors suffered splinter injuries in the encounter. The injuries are from splinters in the Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL) fired by Maoists.”

After the surgery on Friday, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P, said: “We have sent the piece of metal for forensic testing. A ballistic test will make it clear if it’s a bullet or splinter. As per the investigation carried out so far, the circumstantial evidence indicates that Maoists, in a desperate attempt to guard and protect their high-value cadre, used villagers as a human shield, due to which these four got injured.”

A doctor who was part of the team who operated on the girl said the operation was a complex one. “The nerves that are connected to the eyes, ears, and head could have been affected, so the utmost care had to be taken.” The surgery went on for two and a half hours and the bullet was successfully removed from her neck. Soon after, the police took the bullet as evidence, officials said.

The three other minors injured in the encounter were boys, all of whom suffered splinter injuries – one on his head, another on the back of his neck, and the third on his back.