Malkangiri (Orissa), June 29
Thirty-six personnel of an elite anti-naxal force were feared drowned when Maoists today struck in a big way opening fire on a launch carrying the security personnel and sinking the vessel in a reservoir here.

The launch was carrying 64 persons, which included one Orissa police constable and two boatmen, when naxals unleashed heavy gunfire from a hilltop in Malkangiri district this morning.

Orissa police chief Gopal Nanda said the firing took place near Alampetta village when the elite Greyhound force was sailing to Chirakonda across the Balimela reservoir on the border with Andhra Pradesh for a joint operation against the Maoists.

Preliminary reports, as per survivors, said the Naxals resorted to heavy fire at 9 am after which the launch capsized and many personnel sustaining bullet injuries.

While 28 personnel, including a launch helper, could swim ashore, the whereabouts of 36 others were not known even as a search operation was on in the reservoir, Nanda said.

According to DIG (operation) Arun Sarangi, 28 personnel swam to the shore, of whom 10 were airlifted to Visakhapatnam for treatment.

“Most of the 28 persons who returned to safety sustained bullet injuries,” he said, adding some others could have swum towards the Andhra Pradesh side adjacent to Orissa.

The Centre rushed 125 CRPF personnel who were assisting in rescue operations, sources in the union home ministry said, adding the area was not easily accessible and it needed trekking of several kilometres to reach the spot. — PTI