Madhya Pradesh Hawk Force inspector killed in Maoist encounter on MP–Chhattisgarh border

The 26-year-old inspector was reportedly shot by the Maoists during a joint operation by Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra forces in a forest in Balaghat.

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Hawk Force inspector Ashish Sharma was killed in an encounter with Maoists on MP–Chhattisgarh border on Wednesday.

Inspector Ashish Sharma was killed in an encounter with Maoists in Balaghat on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old inspector was reportedly shot by the Maoists during a joint operation by Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra forces in a forest in Balaghat.

“Information was received about Maoists hiding near Bor Talab on the border of the three states. Upon arrival, the police asked them to surrender but they started firing. The force also retaliated. In the gunfight, inspector Ashish Sharma, who was leading the three-person team, was shot. He was rushed to the hospital in an injured condition, where doctors declared him dead,” anti-naxal operations deputy director general of police Pankaj Srivastava said.

Ashish Sharma was a resident of Bohani village in Gadarwara, Narsinghpur district. He was selected as a sub-inspector in 2016. The Madhya Pradesh government awarded him an out-of-turn promotion as a reward for anti-Maoist operations. He received two gallantry medals from the Government of India in the last two years.

Chief minister Mohan Yadav paid tribute to Ashish Sharma on X. “Today, Inspector Ashish Sharma of the Madhya Pradesh Hawk Force attained martyrdom in an encounter with Maoists. I offer my humble tributes. My condolences are with the bereaved family. He displayed unprecedented valour and courage during an anti-Naxal operation conducted by a joint team of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra in the forests of Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh,” Yadav said.

“His supreme sacrifice in the national campaign to eradicate Maoists will always be unforgettable. He was previously awarded the gallantry medal by the Government of India twice for displaying indomitable courage and exceptional bravery in the line of duty,” he added.