Two policemen killed in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, April 27 (IANS) Two policeman, including a station house officer, were killed in a nearly-hour-long gunfight with Maoists after a police patrol was attacked by the rebels in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district Saturday, an official said.

The attack took place in a jungle pocket of Kanker, some 240 km south of Raipur.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kanker, Jayant Thorat, said that a team of district force and Border Security Force troopers had left Taroki police station Saturday morning for conducting a routine search operation in nearby areas. While the team was returning, a group of Maoist rebels hiding in bushes ambushed it at Sakti Ghat.

Thorat added that the policemen also took position and returned the intense fire of the rebels. The gunfight lasted for nearly an hour after which the insurgents fled from the scene taking cover of the dense forest and hilly terrain.

Taroki SHO Santosh Ekka and head constable Aliram Usendi died on the spot while two other personnel - Ravindra Mandawi and Samaru Ram - were seriously injured. Both the injured jawans as well as bodies of the killed men were brought to Antagarh from where injured were sent to Raipur. They have been admitted to a private hospital here where their condition is stated to be critical.