Amit Kumar, New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah returned to Delhi after canceling his election rally in Assam after the Naxalite attack on the Sukma-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh on Saturday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended only one of his proposed 3 rallies in Assam today.
On returning to Delhi, Amit Shah will discuss the situation with senior officials regarding the Naxalite attack in Bijapur and will deliberate on further strategies to intensify the fight against the Naxalites.
Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel about this incident and assured him of all possible help.
"I bow to the sacrifices of our brave security personnel martyred while fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. Nation will never forget their valour. My condolences are with their families. We will continue our fight against these enemies of peace & progress. May injured recover soon," Amit Shah posted on Twitter.
Twenty-four security personnel have been martyred and around 21 are missing after a fierce encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Naxal-affected Bijapur district on Saturday.
CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh arrived in Chhattisgarh this morning to take stock of the operational work and situation.
Of the 21 security personnel missing, 7 are from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel regarding the encounter. The Director-General of CRPF was asked by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to go on a state visit to take stock of the situation.
So far, 31 injured soldiers have been admitted to the hospital. Of these, 23 injured have been admitted to the Bijapur Hospital and the rest have been admitted to a hospital in Raipur. The condition of -12 security personnel among the injured is critical.
In retaliation, the security forces have killed around 15 Naxalites and a search operation is going on in the area. This is the biggest Naxalite attack of this year.
For the last 10 days, security forces in Chhattisgarh were getting information about the whereabouts of Madvi Hidma, a top Naxalite of the banned group CPI (Maoist).
His name has been associated with several major attacks, including the 2013 attacks in the Jhiram Valley. In 2013, more than 30 people, including senior leaders of the Chhattisgarh Congress, were killed in the Jhiram Valley Naxalite attack.
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