Sukma (Chhattisgarh) [India]: A day before India’s 75th Independence day, Naxal-dominated Minpa village in Sukma district, which has been cut off from the mainstream for three decades, received electricity on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Sunil Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Sukma said, “We set up our camp in Mimpa village on January 1, 2021 . Following this, infrastructure development works have been started there. The construction of road and bridges are going on. Electricity service has been started in Mimpa village on Saturday. All the households are now connected to electricity. Bulbs have been distributed. The eve of Independence day brought new hopes to the villagers.” The development work in Minpa village comes after a year when 17 District Reserve Guards (DRG) were killed and 14 others were injured in a deadly Naxal attack on March 21, 2020. The security forces successfully established their camp in Minpa village, which is considered a meeting point of Naxals. Earlier in 2013, security forces tried to set up a camp but they had to take a step back after two personnel were killed in the Naxal attack. More than 1000 security personnel from different agencies including District Reserve Guards (DRGs), Special Task Force and special police unit CoBRA and CRPF are deployed to guard to ensure that development work is not obstructed by Naxals. Speaking to ANI, Inspector General of Police, Bastar P Sundarraj had said, “Minpa village is strategically very important for us as around 30 years ago it was on the state highway. Due to Naxal stronghold, the road and economic activities in the area were shut.” “Earlier in 2013, we tried to establish a camp here at the village but due to stronghold of Naxals, we withdrew the camp. We lost two security personnel in Minpa in 2013. In December 2020, we started establishing a new camp in Minpa. We are now constructing a road connecting the Chintagupha, Burkapal and Chintalnar village which lies on Dornapal – Jagargunda axis,” he added.
