Author: Rakesh K Singh
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: February 1, 2016
URL:   http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-newspaper/cobras-blood-gives-maoist-new-lease-of-life.html

Dispelling the notion that security forces kill all adversaries in a battlefield, the elite CoBRA battalion of the CRPF not only evacuated an injured Naxal from an encounter site but also carried him on foot for seven kilometres and later on, airlifted him to a Government hospital in Jagdalpur in an IAF chopper. Not just that, three commandos also donated him blood during his treatment.

The Naxal, Linga Sodi, along with another comrade had ambushed the CoBRA troops and triggered an IED blast followed by heavy firing. CoBRA is a specialised force under the CRPF for undertaking anti-Naxal operations.

On January 16, CoBRA troops deployed in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh launched an operation following an input about the movement of ultras in the forest area around villages Korsermetta, Hidmapara and Gotpalli under Basaguda police station, officials said.

After moving in the jungles near Gotpalli village in the district for almost three days, the Naxals ambushed the CoBRA troops on January 18 and triggered an IED blast following it with heavy firing.

In the exchange of fire that ensued, one Naxal was killed and another comrade identified as Linga Sodi of Itapalli village was seriously injured as a bullet pierced his thigh leading to severe blood loss, they said.

“The CoBRA troops immediately evacuated Sodi to the CRPF Field Hospital located at a distance of seven kms from the encounter site, carrying him on foot and thereafter, he was airlifted to Government hospital, Jagdalpur the next day in the IAF chopper, which was being used for anti-Naxal operations, for providing him with immediate medical aid,” said a CRPF spokesperson here.

When the doctors attending to the injured Naxal in Jagdalpur required blood in order to save him, three of the commandos — Constables Ratan Manjulkar, Praveender and U Mehboob Peera — volunteered to donate blood to save the life of the adversary, without a second thought.

“Who says the CoBRAs can only kill?” quipped an official, adding they turn into unlikely saviours too.

Meanwhile, the CRPF has killed Chirag, alias Ramchnadra Mahti, alias Jodhan, the self-styled military commission chief of the Poorvi Bihar Purvottar Jharkhand Special Area Committee (PBPJSAC), who carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh in Jharkhand and Rs 5 lakh in Bihar.

An encounter took place between Naxals and 215 Battalion of CRPF near Katha-bar village under Charkha-pathhar police station in Jamui district of Bihar on January 29.