On Monday (April 5), the wife of missing Jawan Rakesh Singh Manhas has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the safe return of her husband. Manhas is believed to have been captured by the Maoists following the deadly encounter with the security personnel along the border of Bijapur-Sukma district in Chattisgarh.
In a heart-warming appeal, the wife of the captured jawan, Meenu Manhas, said, “I want to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to bring back my husband. Wherever he is, I appeal to you to bring him back. If he is safe, bring him back somehow. I request Modiji to bring him back like he brought Wing Commander Abhinandan from Pakistan.”
“I last talked to my husband on Friday at 9:30 pm. He told me that he was going for his duty and will talk to me the following day. No one is giving us any information. We have called the control room but they assured us that we will be given information soon. But it has been two days now. We are relying on the news for now. I appeal to PM Modi to ensure his freedom,” the woman broke into tears.
विंग कमांडर अभिनंदन की तरह मेरे पति को भी नक्सलियों के कब्जे से छुड़वा लाओ…बीजापुर हमले के बाद नक्सलियों के कब्जे में कैद जवान की पत्नी मीनू मन्हास ने पीएम मोदी से की अपील.. #BijapurEncounter #Bijapur@govindtimes @rahulpandita @TanushreePande @ipskabra pic.twitter.com/LoZ2R9znkO
— संजय ठाकुर (@sanjaythakur6) April 5, 2021
The encounter between security personnel and Maoists in Chattisgarh
In the deadliest terrorist attack of 2021, a group of 400 Naxals ambushed a massive operation that included the STF, DRG and District Force of the Chhattisgarh Police, the CRPF and its elite COBRA unit. The teams were deployed in the forests of Chhattisgarh for a search and destroy anti-Naxalite operation along the border of Bijapur-Sukma district.
It was during this operation that the security teams of around 1500 personnel were ambushed by 400 Naxalites from three sides- led by the most-wanted Maoist commander and leader of the ‘People’s Liberation Guerilla Army’- Hidma. The close encounter between the Naxalites and security forces lasted for four hours in which the Naxalites rained bullets from light machine guns.
A group of Maoists chopped off a security official’s hand before killing him and fled the scene with weapons, including bulletproof jackets, guns, ammunition, as well as his shoes. Some security officials were martyred due to dehydration. The attack by Naxalites which resulted in the martyrdom of 22 Jawans and injured 32 others, is believed to be a trap laid by the Maoists. One Jawan has been missing in action.
A senior official informed, “…There are clear signs that the Maoists know we are listening to their code. We are being played. The kind of fire we came under, and the positions they took, show it was well-planned. They knew we would find nothing at the spot and would return. When our team did, they were waiting, with a very little escape route for our men.”
