Maoists massacre 55 in Chhattisgarh

In one of its biggest attacks launched, Maoists today killed 55 security personnel in a police outpost in Bijapur district.

The victims included 16 jawans of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force and 39 Special Police Officers "" villagers trained, armed and recruited by the government to combat the Left radical army.

This is the first such incident after the attack in July last year, when Maoists struck at a village in Dhantewada, killing more than 30 villagers.

According to Bastar Inspector General of Police RK Vij, more than 500 rebels stormed the police outpost, lobbing hand grenades and petrol bombs, at about 2:30 am today.

A total of 74 policemen, including 24 personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force Ninth Battalion and 50 Special Police Officers, were in the camp "" set up in an ashram school building "" when the attack came.

The police outpost at Ranibodli (about 520 km from Raipur), under Bhairamgarh police station, was set up a year ago following intensified rebel movement in the area.

The Bijapur attack was so planned that the security personnel were caught totally by surprise. The police, however, claimed the security personnel did retaliate and gave up only when they ran out of ammunition.

The fire exchange last for about three hours. Dawn broke and the rebels vanished into the nearby jungle.

According to sources, the rebels seemed to used the classic pincer movement to box in the police personnel in the camp, raining grenades and crude bombs. Under the cover fire, women Maoists raided the camp and over-powered the securitymen.

The rebels set the camp on fire before retreating. They carried away more than 50 weapons, including sophisticated AK-47 rifles.

Apart from the 55 dead, 12 personnel, including an assistant platoon commandant, were injured in the attack. They have been evacuated to a nearby hospital.

There were seven missing personnel who seemed to have had fled the spot when the attack came.