Raipur, Aug. 29: In a pre-dawn ambush, Maoist rebels on Sunday killed five security personnel, including three jawans of Border Security Force (BSF) and injured another at Bhushki in Chhattisgarh’s rebel-stronghold district of Kanker, the police said.
The police claimed that at least three Naxals were killed in the gun battle that followed the Maoist attack on the joint patrolling party of BSF jawans, district force (DF) and special police officers (SPOs).
The DF and SPOs are elite anti-Maoist forces of the Chhattisgarh police.
“At least three rebels were believed to have been killed in the exchange of fire. The security forces had spotted three bodies being taken away by the Naxals,” the additional director general of police (ADG) (anti-Naxal operations), Mr Ramniwas said.
According to the police, 77 security personnel from BSF, DF and SPOs were attacked when they were conducting joint patrolling and road opening operations in a forest close to Bhushki village at around 5 am, a few hours ahead of the Chhattisgarh forest minister, Mr Vikram Usendi’s scheduled visit to the district.
“Around 150 ultras suddenly surrounded the police party and ambushed them. The security forces regrouped and retaliated with fire, triggering a heavy gun battle between them. Five security personnel were killed and another injured in the hour-long gun fight,” the Durgakondal police inspector, Mr D.K. Markan, told this newspaper from the ambush site.