75 of CRPF perish in Naxal ambush in Chhattisgarh

At least 75 Central Reserve Police Force personnel of 62nd battalion and one civil police were killed in suspected Maoist ambush in the Chintalnar forest nearTademetla in Sukma block of Dantewada district in the wee hours of Tuesday.

About 1,000 Maoists ambushed security force personnel when they were proceeding to Tademetla in an anti-landmine vehicle.

In the exchange of fire that ensued between security forces and the Naxalites, eight Crpf jawans were injured. The naxalites first detonated a landmine and ambushed the security personnel from the hillocks.

The anti-landmine vehicle was carrying 81 security personnel. The naxalites took 100 Crpf jawans hostage in the incident.

Crpf Deputy Inspector General (Anti-Naxal operations) S R P Kalluri told newsmen two of the eight injured Crpf personnel died in the hospital at Jagadalpur.

"We are sending reinforcements to the spot. The area has been blocked by the Naxals who have built bunkers at the hill and Crpf personnel were not aware of the bunkers. The attack was premeditated. They first attacked the Crpf mobile van and followed it up by firing on the team," said Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Vishwa Ranjan.

He said additional reinforcements would evacuate the injured through copters and red alert has been sounded in the area.

The police are suspecting the hand of People’s Liberation Army and Boonkal Militia in the attack. The handiwork of revolutionaries like Basavaraju and Mallojula Venugopal, who are experts in the landmines operations, cannot be ruled out.