Jagdalpur, June 29: In yet another daring attack on security personnel, Maoists killed at least 20 security personnel and injured over 20 in the Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
The seventy-strong battalion of CRPF jawans, district police officials and STF were ambushed near a drain in the Daurai forest area, 32-kms from Narayanpur in south Chhattisgarh when they were returning after a road opening duty.
At least 26 personnel are reported to have been killed and the toll could increase what with over twenty men being severely injured and rushed to Jagdalpur’s Maharani Hospital.
CRPF Chief Vikram Srivastava said around 90-100 Naxals opened fire from a hilltop on the road opening party at 3 pm today. The jawans retaliated which resulted in a fierce gunbattle which raged for three hours.
Reinforcements are being sent in to evacuate the injured and hold post.
75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official killed in a naxal attack in Dantewada district of the state in April, leading to nationwide uproar against the red rebels and forcing the government to rethink strategy.
—Agencies