Updated: November 30, 2020 7:44:24 am
Nitin P Bhalerao, 33, was killed in a Maoist attack in Sukma
Family, friends and colleagues described Subcommander Nitin P Bhalerao, killed in a Maoist attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, on Saturday night as someone who strived to be the best in everything he did and led from the front lines. Ten years ago, he ranked first in basic training as a CRPF deputy inspector and repeated the distinction in jungle warfare training after being inducted into the force’s elite CoBRA unit.
While the 33-year-old man died from injuries sustained in the IED explosion, seven CoBRA staff members were injured and are now out of harm’s way. The attack occurred just 6 km from the CoBRA base camp in Burkapal.
The CRPF said that Bhalerao had fought for seven hours despite losing a lot of blood.
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The cremation of the assistant commander Sunday night in Nashik drew friends and locals, as well as family. Bhalerao is survived by his mother Bharti, his wife Rashmi, his daughter Vedangi (10) and two brothers. Bharti raised the children alone after losing her husband when they were very young.
Bhalerao’s birthday was December 21 and he planned to return home on that date. The family hoped to celebrate a delayed Diwali in addition to his birthday with him. Sister-in-law Vrushali Bhalerao said the 33-year-old would come home for Diwali every year. “This year he delayed it because he wanted others in his battalion to come home for the festival,” he said. “… We are very proud of their sacrifice.”
A friend from Nashik, Bhalerao’s hometown, said: “He always wanted to be at the forefront. I wish it had stopped somewhere. “
All those wounded in Saturday’s attack belong to the 206 CoBRA Battalion, including Second Rank Officer Dinesh Kumar Singh. Bhalerao had been stationed with the battalion in Chhattisgarh not long ago.
Bastar IG P Sundarraj said the incident occurred in the Chintagufa area. “CoBRA, STF and DRG (District Reserve Guard) troops from Chintalnar, Burkapal and Chintagufa base camps were carrying out an anti-Maoist operation on Saturday. Around 8.30 pm, an improvised explosive device explosion occurred near the Arbaraj Metta hills, ”he said.
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The site is just 8 km from Minpa, where 17 DRG staff members lost their lives in a Maoist attack in March, police said. The Chintagufa Police Station is 9 km away.
Eight of the seriously injured were evacuated by helicopter to Raipur around midnight. However, Bhalerao could not save himself.
After joining the CRPF in 2010, Bhalerao had worked in Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi previously. In 2018, he took the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination and passed it to be promoted to the rank of Assistant Commander. During a basic training course at the CRPF Homeland Security Academy at Mount Abu, he was voted the best outdoor apprentice. He followed up with a three-month training at the CoBRA School of Jungle Warfare and Tactics in Belgaum. Once again, he was chosen as the best apprentice in all respects.
CRPF spokesman and Deputy Inspector General Moses Dhinakaran said that Bhalerao was adept at planning and executing operations against the Maoists, as well as being an excellent motivator and manager in difficult environments. “He had exceptional leadership qualities. He was disciplined, brave and enthusiastic, ”said Dhinakaran.
Bhalerao’s instructor during basic training, Subcommander Vijay Chaudhary, said that he stood out for his “tactical acumen and physical fitness,” and that from the various wings of the CRPF he had opted for CoBRA.
An undated video posted on Twitter showed a junior officer praising Bhalerao and saying that he wished all forces had an officer like him.
The ceremony to pay tribute to Bhalerao in Raipur was attended by Chhattisgarh Interior Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu and CRPF Director General AP Maheshwari who flew in from Delhi. Sahu called the attack an “act of cowardice” and said: “Our police and central forces have been carrying out joint operations for the past two years. It has resulted in the surrender of the Naxals, their arrest and murder in great numbers. It seems the Naxals are frustrated by these things. “He added:” Our forces are cautioned to move carefully. But sometimes, inadvertently, lapses occur that lead to such incidents. “
The DGP said the attack would motivate the force “to continue our mission with more vigor and synergy with the Chhattisgarh Police and other security forces.”
While the 33-year-old man died from injuries sustained in the IED explosion, seven CoBRA staff members were injured and are now out of harm’s way. The attack occurred just 6 km from the CoBRA base camp in Burkapal.
The CoBRA was raised by the CRPF in 2009 as a special guerrilla command unit for anti-naxal operations, as well as to fight insurgents in the northeast.
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