New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday condemned the killing of 17 security personnel during an encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.
During the start of the business in the House, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said that 17 security personnel were killed and 15 others were injured in an encounter with Maoists in Minpa Jungles in the Bastar region of Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on March 21, 2020.”
He said that such “dastardly incident deserved to be condemned in the strongest terms” and the need to be confronted with determination and firmness.
“The loss of precious lives of our security personnel in this tragic incident is painful and unfortunate,” the Chairman of the House said. Thereafter all the members stood in silence for a minute praying for the martyred security personnel.
On Sunday, condemning the Maoist attack on security forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the martyrs and said their valour would never be forgotten.
“My tributes to the security personnel martyred in the attack. Their valour will never be forgotten. Condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for a quick recovery of those injured,” Modi tweeted.
Terming their martyrdom heart wrenching, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “I bow to them for their sacrifices. I express my deepest condolence to their families.”
“The whole country is with you in this hour of grief. Indian’s fight against Naxalism will continue,” he tweeted.
On Saturday, around 17 security personnel went missing during an encounter with Maoists in insurgency-hit Sukma district. On Sunday, 17 bodies were recovered. Of the 17, 12 were the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and five the Special Task Force (STF) personnel.
The bodies were recovered during a search operation conducted at noon by a joint team of DRG, STF and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), an elite unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The slain security personnel belonged to a group of nearly 600 personnel of a joint DRG, STF, and CoBRA team, which had launched an anti-Maoist operation on Saturday.
IANS
