Operations against Maoists to continue with more intensity: Home Minister Amit Shah

Talking to media in Guwahati on his way back to Delhi, he said “ So far as the number of casualty is concerned, I would not be able to tell that as the search operation has been continued but what I can say that both sides have suffered the loss. I pay tribute the martyrs and assure their families and nation as well that the sacrifices of our security forces will not go in vein”.

Operation against the Maoist will continue with more intensity and vigour and we will take this endeavour to a logical conclusion, Mr Shah further said.

Mr Shah has cut short his poll campaign in Assam and has been returning to Delhi in wake of the Naxal attack while the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel who was also campaigning in Assam, went back to Raipur on Sunday afternoon.

A total of 22 security personnel have been killed and one missing in a fierce encounter between security forces and Maoist on Saturday afternoon near Jonaguda village under Jagargunda police station area in Sukma district and reportedly the encounter continued for 3-4 hours.

The combined patrolling team of Chhattisgarh’s STF, CRPF’s CoBRA, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and some security personnel of Bastaria battalion of CRPF was dispatched from Tarrem came under the attack of ultras belonging PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerilla Army) battalion of Maoists reportedly led by the dreaded naxal commander Hidma.