Raipur: Naxals launched a major offensive against police personnel in an ambush in Dantewada district in the state of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday morning.
The Naxal have gunned down 75 security personnel. 72 were CRPF personnel, one of them was a head constable with the local police.
The 120-men strong CRPF team was ambushed by heavily armed Naxals between 6 AM and 7 AM. The ambush took place between Chintalnar and Tademetla in Sukma block of Dantewada district when the security personnel were on the way to Tademetla in a vehicle.
The Naxals first triggered a landmine blast and the moment the vehicle stopped, the rebels ambushed the CRPF team from a hill top in the worst attack against the security forces. The dead included 72 CRPF personnel from the 62nd battalion and one Chhattisgarh state police officer.
"The total casualty is 73 and about 12 CRPF personnel have been injured," said CRPF DIG (Anti-Naxal operations) SRP Kalluri.
Chhattisgarh Police spokesperson RK VIJ said that reinforcement has reached the ambush site and recovered 40 bodies.
"The CRPF party was out for last three days. The Naxalites attacked today morning between 6 AM and 7 AM. The reinforcements have reached. We are trying to evacuate the injured through helicopters. The security forces party was more than 80. We have collected 40 bodies till now," said VIJ.
However, senior Chhattisgarh Police officials and sources in Ministry of Home Affairs feared that the death toll could rise. CRPF Director General Raman Srivastava will be leaving for Dantewada and said that he would be able to give the details only after reaching the area.
A gunbattle is going on at Jagargunda in Chintalnar block of Dantewada district between hundreds of armed Naxals and about 100 CRPF personnel.
"We are trying to send reinforcement forces to the spot. The forces are facing difficulty as the area has been blocked by the Naxals. Naxals had built bunkers on the hill top and CRPF personnel were not aware of the bunkers. The attack was preplanned. They first attacked the CRPF mobile van and followed it up by firing on the team," said Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Vishwa Ranjan.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said that more forces have been sent to the area to take on the Naxals.
"The Government of Chhattisgarh and the CRPF had together planned this operation. They have mobilised both the state forces and CRPF. But, something has gone wrong. They seem to have walked into a camp or a trap set up by the Naxalites. The casualties are quite high and I am deeply shocked. I am sorry for those who have lost their lives. This shows the savage nature of the CPI(Maoist) and the brutality and the savagery they are capable of. Senior officers are going to that area. We will await more reports from them," said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.
A contingent of CRPF personnel from West Bengal has already been mobilised and ordered to move to Dantewada,
The CRPF team was going to Sukma where a gunbattle had been taking place between security forces and Naxals since Monday evening when it was attacked.
One CRPF personnel had already been killed and another injured in the gunbattle on Monday.
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