Gaya: CRPF jawan killed in Maoist encounter

A Central Reserve Police Force jawan was killed and 10 security personnel were injured in an encounter with Maoists in Balthar forests of Bihar's Gaya district on Sunday.

CRPF Deputy Inspector General Umesh Kumar told PTI that a paramilitary jawan Sachindra Sharma was killed and 10 other security personnel, including eight jawans of the force and two civilian policemen, got injured in the gun-battle.

Six injured CRPF jawans were undergoing treatment at a primary health centre at Imamganj, while a CRPF jawan Raju Toppo was flown by a helicopter from Gaya to Patna for treatment at the Patna Medical College and Hospital.

Another unidentified jawan has been admitted to the ANMMCH at Gaya, he said.

Additional Superintendent of police (SP) Shambhu Prasad and an unidentified Special Task Force constable too suffered injuries in the encounter, Kumar said.

The encounter took place between the forces and the armed Maoists after the CRPF's CoBRA battalion, STF and Gaya police launched a joint combing operation in the forests after being tipped off about the assembling of a large number of ultras, the CRPF DIG said.

The Maoists opened fire and triggered several land mine blasts to deter the advancing security forces who retalitated firing on the ultras and the encounter ensued since 6 am.

Superintendent of police, Gaya, rushed to the spot with reinforcements to assist the forces as the Inspector General of police, Operation, Amit Kumar too went there from Patna to monitor the situation, Kumar said.

The encounter was still going on, the CRPF official said, adding that the services of helicopters were pressed into service to give aerial support to the security men.

There was no confirmation of the casualties or injuries to the ultras, police sources said.