On 20 October 2008, troops of the 170th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force were carrying out an operation against Maoists near Kongupalli village in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. As the troops approached their target, Maoists concealed in an ambush opened indiscriminate fire and detonated improvised explosive devices.
The attackers had occupied advantageous high ground and attempted to surround the CRPF personnel. More than 200 Maoists were involved in the assault. The troops retaliated with determination, inflicted heavy losses and resisted the attempt to overwhelm them.
The encounter continued for a prolonged period. The resistance of the CRPF personnel forced the Maoists to abandon their plan and flee. Constable Arun Kumar Singh was among the 12 personnel of the 170th Battalion who made the supreme sacrifice during the operation.
A subsequent search of the area recovered a Maoist’s body, a 12-bore gun, approximately 50 metres of wire, a milk container containing 2.5 kilograms of explosive material, and other incriminating items. Singh’s sacrifice is remembered as part of the 170th Battalion’s action on 20 October 2008.
