Police intensify campaign against Naxals after Bijapur attack

A day after eight CRPF jawans were killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said they have intensified campaign against the Naxals and search is on to nab the outlaws.

Eight CRPF jawans were killed yesterday when Naxals blew up a bullet-proof vehicle near Pedakodepal village on National Highway 16 in Bijapur.

Following yesterday's incident, Bastar police has been alerted and the anti-Naxal operations have been intensified in the district, senior officials said.

Combing operations have started in the area following the attack and the assailants are being searched for, the officials said.Bijapur superintendent of police Avinash Mohanty said the police have managed to recover arms and ammunition belonging to the jawans killed in yesterday's attack.

There were many other jawans present in the vicinity when the Naxals blew up the vehicle carrying eight CRPF personnel and thus could not take away the weapons of the jawans killed, he said.

Mohanty said the police have recovered about 300m long wire from the spot indicating the Naxals blew up the vehicle from a distance of 300m.

State's home minister Nankiram Kanwar said the Naxals are afraid to take on the police face to face and indulge in acts like blowing up the vehicles.

He conceded that the Maoists are present in Bastar in a very large number but pointed out the police are capable of countering them.