M A I N   N E W S

Maoists attack security team, kill 16
After months of lull in Chhattisgarh, Red rebels strike again in killing fields of Sukma

Raipur, March 11
In a brazen daytime attack, Naxals ambushed a security team killing 15 personnel, including 11 of the CRPF and a civilian, in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district in a chilling reminder of the 2010 massacre of 76 securitymen in the same area.

Chhattisgarh's Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Mukesh Gupta said the joint team was attacked by a large group of Naxals -- numbering close to 100 -- around 10.15 am at Jeerum Nullah, 400 km from here.

A contingent of 44 joint security forces personnel -- 30 from the CRPF and 14 from the state police - was conducting a road opening task in the jungles of Tongapal, close to the Dantewada and Jeerum Ghati axis notorious for Naxal violence. Naxals triggered landmine blasts and began heavy firing, trapping the men. The ambush took place close to the Jeeram Ghati area in Sukma district in the Bastar region where the state’s top Congress leadership was wiped out by Maoists in May last year when they killed 25 people. In the same area, Naxals had killed 76 police personnel in April 2010, the biggest blow to security forces in anti-Naxal operations.

"Eleven CRPF personnel and four state policemen were killed. Inspector Subhash of the CRPF was leading the squad and was also killed," Chattisgarh Police DIG (SIB) Dipanshu Kabra told reporters. A civilian was also killed in the attack and adding three persons were injured. An assistant commandant rank officer of CRPF is also believed to among the victims, sources said. The CRPF jawans belonged to its 80th battalion deployed for anti-Naxal operations in the state. A massive manhunt has been launched to nab the attackers, who escaped into the thick jungles. It was not immediately known if the Naxals suffered any casualties. The state police is suspecting that a group of Naxals who may have crossed into Chattisgarh from Odisha could be behind the deadly attack. Police sources said the deaths of the securitymen were caused due to bullet injuries.

"The area is heavily mined and, hence, reinforcements are treading cautiously," CRPF Inspector General (Operations) in Delhi Zulfiquar Hasan said. Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has cancelled his scheduled programme and convened an emergency meeting of security officials. — PTI

Deadly ambush

• 10.15 am: Joint security forces squad of 30 CRPF and 14 cops on route-sanitising duty
• Around 100 Naxals ambush them, begin heavy firing, trigger landmine blasts and escape into thick jungle
• The ambush took place in Sukma where Maoists wiped out the state’s top Congress leadership