India: BSF jawan hurt in encounter with Naxal terrorists

Naxal fighters

Raipur, Mar 16 (PTI) A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was on Monday injured in an encounter with naxals in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, police said.

The skirmish took place when a team of the BSF's 157th battalion was out on a patrolling duty, a police official told PTI.

When the team reached near Musaghat area under Partapur police station limits, a group of ultras triggered an IED (improvised explosive device) blast and opened indiscriminate firing on security forces, he said.

The naxals fled after the security forces returned the fire, he said.

"Head Constable Kripa Shankar sustained splinter injuries in the blast," he said.

After the encounter, security forces recovered three IEDs from the spot, the official said, adding that the explosives were neutralised at the spot.

A search operation was underway in the area while the injured jawan was admitted at a local hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger, he said.

On March 14, two personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) were killed after naxals ambushed a team of security forces in the jungles of Bastar district.