Twenty-six police personnel, including a Superintendent of Police, were killed on Sunday in two separate attacks by Maoists in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh. The state police said that 24 of its men, including SP V K Choubey, were killed when Maoists ambushed a party led by him while it was on the way to a police camp at Madanwada where the militants had killed two of its personnel on Sunday. Inspector General (Durg Range) Mukesh Gupta said the bodies of Choubey and 23 other policemen were being brought to Manpur police station, about 100 km from the state capital, under which the incidents took place.
Deputy Inspector General (Naxal) Pawan Dev said Choubey's party was targeted by the ultras in Khoregaon area. Additional contingents have been rushed to the area and a combing operation has been launched, he said.
The Central Reserve Police Force has rushed 600 of its men to the ambush site in Rajnandgaon district. The troops, belonging to Rajnandgaon-based 188th battalion of the force and equipped with mine detection kits and rescue equipment, were rushed to the spot to start combing operations against the banned Maoists militants.
"A battalion strength (around 1,000 men) of the force is being sent to the spot for starting combing operations and
sanitizing the area. Six companies (comprising 600 men) have been sent initially," a senior CRPF officer said.
The Station House Officer of the Madanpara police station area, near the ambush site, was also killed in the
attack, official sources said. Additional reinforcements and communication equipment will also be sent as the CRPF troops will set up a temporary camp there, sources added.
