Naxals step up attacks in Chhattisgarh; 6 cops killed, 8 hurt

Six security personnel were killed and eight injured in back-to-back attacks by Naxals in insurgency-hit districts of Chhattisgarh, which has seen a string of strikes by the red ultras in the past three days.
The ultras today blew up an anti-landmine vehicle in Dantewada district, killing five police men and injuring eight, while a BSF jawan lost his life in Kanker district.
The blast occurred on Cholnar-Kirandul Road under Kirandul Police Station limits when the security personnel were patrolling along a road construction route, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) S R P Kalluri told PTI.
The mine-protected vehicle, with 13 jawans belonging to Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) and district force (DF) aboard, was dispatched from Cholnar camp for security of the construction work in the region, around 450 km from state capital Raipur.

After covering a distance of about 2.5 km from the camp, when security forces reached near Khutiyapara village, rebels triggered the blast and opened firing. However, some of the injured retaliated, following which rebels fled from the spot, he added.
Soon after the incident, reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured were evacuated to Kirandul hospital, the IG said.

Four of them, including the driver, succumbed to their injuries during treatment at Kirandul, Kirandul Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) M Z Baig said, adding that another jawan, who was airlifted to Jagdalpur along with other injured, died at Medical College Jagdalpur hospital.

"Subsequently, the injured have been airlifted to Raipur from Jagdalpur and admitted there at a hospital," Baig said.
Those killed are constables Jaiprakash Paswan, Alauddin and Banshidhar belonging to 17th battalion of CAF, constable Shiva Kashyap (driver) and assistant constable Lallu Pradhan of DF.
A combing operation has been launched to nab the attackers, the IG added.