DGP Ashok Juneja visits ambush site, meet families of martyred troopers

 

 

 

A day after three troopers of District Reserve Guard (DRG) martyred in deadly Maoist ambush in restive Sukma district, Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Juneja along with top brass of State Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) reached Jagargunda area to boost the morale of the forces engage in Anti Naxal Operations (ANO). The State Police Chief also reached out to the family members of martyred DRG troopers and expressed his empathy and solidarity with them.

It is pertinent here to recall that three DRG personnel were killed in fierce encounter with leftist insurgents, who were later identified as Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Ramuram Nag resident, Constables and Vanjam Bhima. Maoists’ top Military Battalion No-01 Encounter from 01 executed the ambush on the police search party comprising the DRG troopers, who were providing security to the ongoing road connectivity work and had taken the road route for Area Domination Exercise. Donned in camouflage uniform, DGP Juneja on Sunday visited Jagargunda police station of Sukma. He was accompanied by Additional DG (CRFP) Vitul Kumar, ADG (Naxal Ops) Vivekananda Sinha, IG Bastar Range Sundarraj P, IG (CRFP) Saket Singh, DIG Police Head Quarters (PHQ) Rajendra Narayan Dash, DIG (CRFP) Sunit Kumar Rai, DIG Dantewada Range Kamlochan Kashyap, SP Sukma Sunil Kumar and host of other senior officials of state police and CRPF entrusted upon the responsibility of anti-naxal ops. During the visit, DGP interacted with the DRG and CRFP troopers stationed in Sukma district. The state police chief was also briefed about the encounter with the Maoists insurgents on February 25 along forested Jagargunda-Kunded axis under Jagargunda police station limits. In response, the DGP as well as the senior officials appreciated the brave manner in which the troops fought the naxal ambush. Later, the DGP and other officials also met the family members of martyred troopers and expressed their condolences.

They also assured of swift action regarding the compassionate appointment and other facilities for the next of kin of martyrs. Meanwhile, well-placed sources in ANO Wing of State Police that averred that Basaguda-Jagargunda road axis along Bijapur-Sukma inter-district border area is critical corridor for development in South Bastar region. “It connects villages like Tarrem, Silger, Bedre, Kunded etc to their respective District Headquarters. Erstwhile, hundreds of villages along this road axis were deprived of even basic amenities like school, hospitals, electricity connectivity, ration shops, road connectivity etc,” the sources recalled. “Only after establishing security camps in Tarrem, Silger, Bedre and Kunded, the state administration could start the development works. Maoists are frustrated by this significant breakthrough in one of their stronghold areas. The attack on security forces on February 25th is the fallout of such frustration. We are committed towards our cause in establishing peace and order as well as development in the area by bringing an end to the Maoist activity,” Bastar Range IG Sundarraj P told ‘The Hitavada’ on the sidelines of the DGP visit to Sukma.