Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on February 12 expressed grief over the death of a CRPF officer during an encounter with Naxals in Bijapur district of the State and said his martyrdom will not go in vain.

“Our jawans have been entering the den of Naxals and battling against them with valour and courage. They have pushed Maoists to a limited pocket (in Bastar). The martyrdom of our jawans will not go in vain,” Mr. Baghel said in a statement.

The Chief Minister expressed condolences to the bereaved family members of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Assistant Commandant Shanti Bhushan Tirkey, who was killed in the exchange of fire with Naxals this morning.

Mr. Baghel also instructed officials to provide better treatment facilities to a jawan, who suffered injuries in the incident, it added.

“Tirkey was killed and jawan Appa Rao injured in the exchange of fire with Naxals near a rivulet close to Putkel village under Basaguda police station limits of the district around 9.30 a.m. when a team of CRPF’s 168th battalion was out on a road security duty,” police said.

The martyred officer hailed from neighbouring Jharkhand, they said.

The mortal remains of the officer were shifted to a Jagdalpur (Bastar district) hospital for post-mortem, while the injured jawan is undergoing treatment at a medical facility in Bijapur.