CRPF jawan dies of malaria in Chhattisgarh

A jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force's elite CoBRA unit today died of malaria in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said.

Head constable Brahmanand, belonging to the 206th battalion of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), succumbed to malaria at Sukma district hospital, Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI.

The jawan, posted at the paramilitary force's camp in Chintagufa, was last night admitted to the CRPF's field hospital there.

He was shifted to the district hospital in a serious condition this morning, he said.

The body will be sent to his native place in Uttar Pradesh after the post-mortem, the ASP said.

Last week, a jawan from the same camp suffered from malaria and is currently under treatment in Raipur, he said.

Shukla said adequate precautions are being taken as all personnel deployed at the camps are provided mosquito nets and repellents.

Despite the precautions, the personnel are exposed to mosquitoes due to their long operations in the forest areas, he said.

Malaria, the mosquito-borne infectious disease, has been common in the interiors of Bastar division after rains.

Several security personnel, deployed in anti-Maoist operations in the region, have lost their lives or fallen sick due to the life threatening fever in the past.  -- PTI

Photograph: ANI