CoBRA jawan injured in face-off with Naxals

A CoBRA jawan was injured on Sunday in an encounter between security forces and Naxalites in Maoist-hit Bijapur district, police said.

The face-off took place in the forests under Basaguda police station limits early this morning, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said.

A joint squad of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), a specialised unit of the CRPF, and district force was engaged in an anti-Naxal operation since Saturday in the region, around 500 kms away from the state capital Raipur.

On sensing that the security personnel were closing-in in the forest, the rebels opened indiscriminate firing. The jawans immediately retaliated and began encircling the ultras.

The Naxals retreated as the police were fast zeroing in on them, the official said.

A CoBRA jawan of 204 battalion sustained bullet injuries in his leg in the incident, the SP said, adding that reinforcement was rushed to the spot and he was being retrieved from the forest area.

Further details are awaited, he said.