Dantewada: 3 security personnel killed in encounter with Maoists

There are reports about casualties on the Maoists' side too.

A constable and two personnel of the Koya commando wing of the Chhattisgarh police were killed and three other security personnel injured in a fierce gunbattle between police and armed Maoists in remote forests near village Madpalli,about 18 kilometres from Chintalnar,Dantewada district this afternoon.

A fierce encounter was on for the last few hours. Its a remote location without any communication facilities. We came to know about three causalities on our side and few deaths on the rebel side, a spokesman of Dantewada district administration said.

Director General of Police Vishwaranjan told ‘

rel="noamphtml" class="keywordtourl" href="https://indianexpress.com" class="">The Indian Express’: We have lost a constable and two personnel of the Koya commando wing. Another constable and two Koya commandos were also injured in the first fire itself. We have sent a helicopter to rescue the injured and shift the bodies”.

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He said the security personnel,comprising of Koya commandos a wing of special police officers (SPOs) comprising local youth were patrolling near the forests when they were attacked by armed Maoists. The security personnel fought back leading to an encounter,which continued for a few hours. There are no further details and additional reinforcement,including from the CRPF,have been sent to the spot,he added.

The encounter spot is very near Chintalnar and Chintagufa where the rebels had massacred 76 security personnel,including 75 from the CRPF,in April last year. The 58-kilometre long road from Dornapal,Kankerlanka,Chintalnar,Chintagufa to Jagargunda is heavily mined and the security forces normally have to take a road opening party (ROP) for any movement in the area.

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