On Sunday, the bodies of at least 17 Indian soldiers were recovered from the the site of yesterday's deadly clash between the left-wing Naxal group and government forces. A total of 22 soldiers and 15 Naxals were reportedly killed.
The group, which supports Maoism and can be traced back to the 1967 split of the Communist Party of India, hides out in forests and is known for guerrilla warfare and targeting security forces and government officials,
Several Indian politicians including Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Raj Nath Singh, and former Congress President Rahul Gandhi have expressed grief over the deaths of the Indian soldiers.
Dozens more soldiers were also injured in the incident. Images of the funerals of those killed have already surfaced on social media, with many netizens condemning the attack. People are also blaming Prime Minister Narandra Modi's government for their deaths.
The government's anti-Naxal operation was launched from five locations – Tarrem, Usoor and Pamed in Bijapur, and Minpa and Narsapuram in Sukma – and involves 2,000 personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force, its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), the District Reserve Guard, and Special Task Force.