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Journalism of Courage
Eight personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had a miraculous escape on Sunday when a powerful blast, triggered by the Naxalites, missed the target vehicle between Gumerdi and Kondhe villages, under Durgkondal police station, in tribal Kanker district of Chhattisgarh.
However, the Maoist rebels opened fire at the security personnel, injuring eight of them. A team of security personnel, who reached the spot in an anti-landmine vehicle, engaged the Naxalites in an encounter. Later, the rebels retreated from the spot.
CRPF Deputy Commandant Prahalad Paswan, Assistant Commandant Subodh Singh and constable Gajendra Kumar sustained serious injuries and later airlifted to a hospital in the state capital. Five other injured were hospitalised at Bhanupratapur.
Police sources said the incident took place at around 7 am when CRPF personnel were on their way from Pakhanjur to state capital after their deployment in the area for the first phase of elections on November 14. Maoist rebels tried to blew up their vehicle, triggering a landmine blast.
Nearly 450 companies of security forces, including 350 companies of Central forces, were deployed to ensure smooth polling in Naxalite-hit Bastar region during the first phase of polls. Now these forces were being deployed in remaining 51 constituencies , which goes to polls in the second phase on November 20.
