CURATED BY – GAURAV SINGHAL | CITYCHIEFNEWS

Narayanpur, Two brave jawans sacrificed their lives in a fierce encounter between security forces and Naxalites in the dense forests of Abujhmad located on the border of Narayanpur and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh. These include 38-year-old Khotluram Korram, a resident of village Bhatbeda of Orchha police station area of ​​Narayanpur district and Bijapur DRG jawan Ramesh Hemla.

On Wednesday morning, security forces received information that top Naxalite leader Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70) and other senior cadres were present in the Abujhmad area. On this, DRG teams of Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada and Kondagaon districts launched a joint operation. At least 27 Naxalites were killed in the encounter, including Basavaraju. During this operation, DRG jawan Khotluram Korram attained martyrdom. At the same time, when the security forces were returning in the evening, Bijapur DRG jawan Ramesh Hemla came under the grip of a pressure-activated IED and was martyred on the spot.

At 12 noon on Thursday, tributes were paid to both the martyrs at the Reserve Police Line in Narayanpur. Police officers, jawans, local public representatives and common citizens were present on the occasion. The families of the martyrs were seen bidding them a tearful farewell. After the tribute ceremony, the bodies of the martyrs were sent to their native villages for last rites.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, while paying tribute to the martyred jawans, said that the government is fighting a decisive battle against Naxalism and the sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. He said that the state government will provide all possible assistance to the families of the martyrs. Home Minister Amit Shah also called this campaign a big success against Naxalism and said that the government is committed to making the country Naxalism-free by 2026. So far this year, more than 200 Naxalites have been killed in Chhattisgarh, most of which have been in the Bastar region. This shows that the strategy and efforts of the security forces are succeeding. The country will never forget the sacrifice of brave soldiers like martyr Khotluram Korram and Ramesh Hemla. Their martyrdom is not only a milestone in the fight against Naxalism, but also shows that the security forces and the government are serious about solving this problem. Now is the time for all of us to come together and build the India of the martyrs' dreams, where the path of peace and development is paved.