Three commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in an encounter with Maoists along the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts in Chhattisgarh, police officials said on Tuesday, in an attack that came when the security personnel were securing the perimeter of a newly-built camp.

Fifteen jawans were also injured in the attack, that lasted nearly two hours, and were airlifted to hospitals in Raipur, officials said.

“Three personnel were killed and 15 others were injured, all from CRPF. Of the deceased, two belonged to the COBRA’s (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) 201st battalion, and one from the CRPF’S 151st battalion. The injured have been airlifted to hospitals in Raipur after helicopters were pressed into service, and their condition is stable,” Bastar inspector general of police Sunderaj P said.

The exchange of fire began at around 1pm in the Teklagudem village, a Maoist stronghold, hours after the new camp for security personnel was set up. The officers were securing the perimeter when Maoists opened fire, the senior officer said.

“After setting up the camp, personnel belonging to the Chhattisgarh Police’s special task force, district reserve guard, and CRPF were securing the perimeter and carrying out a search in the villages of Jonaguda and Aliguda nearby, when Maoists opened fire,” the IGP said.

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The camp is 4km away from Sukma’s Jagargunda, a nerve centre of Maoist operations in South Bastar.

The attack in the remote Teklagudem village, which falls on the axis of Jagargunda-Bijapur, came nearly three years after 22 CRPF jawans were killed in an ambush in the same village on April 4, 2021.

The difficult terrain and large tracts of forests in the remote area made the operation difficult, officials said, adding that the Maoists were able to reach within 300 metres of the camp.

“The camp is surrounded by forests and it does seem like a group of Maoists reached as close as 300 metres from the camp. A team of security forces was securing the area, normally an area of 400 metres around the camp for logistical issues like visibility, when they came under fire. The Maoists used heavy weapons including under batter grenade launchers,” another senior CRPF officer, not wishing to be named, said.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the encounter was carried out by the military battalion number one of the Maoists, headed by commander Madvi Hidma, officers said.

This is the second attack on a camp built by security forces this year.

On January 16, Maoists attacked the Dharmavaram camp in Bijapur district, and issued a press note claiming that three security personnel were killed in the gunbattle. The press note also claimed that three Maoists had also perished. The police have, however, denied any casualties in the gunfight.

Security experts said that the Maoist counter-reaction was a result of the government acting aggressively towards the extremists and eating into areas considered strongholds by setting up new camps.

“Maoists are using grenade launchers that have a range of between 200m and 300m to carry out these attacks, so it is crucial that the perimeters of these camps be secured as efficiently as possible. Attacks of this kind indicate that there is nervousness from the Maoists because forces are moving towards their base areas in Sukma and Bijapur, which is why they are reacting,” said RK Vij, a retired police officer who served as special Director General (Anti Naxal Operations).