#SpotVisuals from the site of IED blast by Naxals in Kistaram area of #Chhattisgarh's Sukma, 9 CRPF personnel have… https://t.co/61aSPiWoQA — ANI (@ANI) 1520933333000

India salutes the brave @crpfindia personnel who were martyred in the attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. My thoughts… https://t.co/BQnJdFs9aN — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 1520946182000

My heartfelt condolences to the families of those personnel who lost their lives in Sukma blast. I pray for the spe… https://t.co/ojRUA7ALrn — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) 1520933054000

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NEW DELHI: Nine CRPF jawans were killed and two others injured as Maoists blew up a mine-protected vehicle (MPV) in Chhattisgarh ’s Sukma district on Tuesday, days after the killing of 10 ultras by Greyhounds personnel on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border.The blast triggered by an IED occurred about 80km west from the spot where 12 CRPF men were killed in an ambush by Naxals on March 11 last year.The IED was so powerful that it ripped apart the heavily armoured vehicle like a tin can and hurled it in the air, sending bodies flying in all directions. Some bodies were found hurled 20 to 30 feet away.The CRPF jawans — all in civvies — were rushing to reinforce a CoBRA unit that was pursuing Maoists after an early morning encounter near Kistaram camp. The rebels retreated, veered around and attacked the patrol party. Sources said there were nearly 150 Maoists near the blast site.Battalion was only 1km from nearest camp“Nine CRPF jawans of 212 Battalion were martyred and two injured when Maoists triggered an IED under an anti-landmine vehicle while they were out for patrolling from Kistaram to Palodi in Sukma district. They were only 1km from the nearest camp in Palodi,” special DGP (anti-Maoist operations) D M Awasthi told TOI.CoBRA commandos had engaged the rebels in a gunfight at 8am after which the Maoists retreated. “Seeing the retaliation by CoBRA jawans, the Naxals initially retreated into the forest. Again, at about 11.30am, they targeted another team of 212 Battalion CRPF in Kistaram,” said CRPF spokesperson Dinakaran Moses. The explosions were triggered around noon.“We have airlifted the injured to Raipur for treatment. The bodies of the martyred jawans, too, will be flown to the state capital,” Awasthi added.The martyrs hailed from UP, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan and Odisha.Union home minister Rajnath Singh expressed his condolences and tweeted: “I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans. I spoke to DG CRPF regarding the Sukma incident and asked him to leave for Chhattisgarh.”Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh condemned the “cowardly attack”. Only a day ago, he had embarked on his month-long Lok Suraj Abhiyan from a remote village in a Maoist-affected area of Dantewada.“Maoists are facing a crisis and fears about their existence due to rapid development work in Bastar. They oppose development and try to mislead local tribals. When infuriated, they attack our security personnel. It displays the anti-people and anti-development mindset of the Naxalites,” he said, praying for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans.At a high-level meeting, the CM asked security forces to intensify operations in Maoist-hit areas of Bastar.