10 CRPF men killed in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Nine CRPF personnel, including a deputy commandant, and three suspected Naxalites were on Friday killed and 11 jawans injured in a fierce encounter in Dantewada district of Chattisgarh, an attack which comes barely a week ahead of the Lok Sabha polls here.

The incident took place in the forests of Kotampalli in Dantewada when the troops of the 55th battalion of the force, who were on a patrol in the area, walked into an ambush set by Naxalites, sparking a gun battle.

Deputy commandant Diwakar Tiwari, a sub-inspector, four head constables and three constables were killed in the encounter while 11 others including an assistant commandant were injured, a CRPF officer said in New Delhi.

At least three Naxalites were also killed. One AK-47 rifle and a few wireless sets have been recovered from the site of the encounter, the officer said.

Dantewada superintendent of police Rahul Sharma said that Naxalites attacked the patrol unit near Minta village under Chintagufa police station, about 200 km from the district headquarters.

The combing operation in the area is still going on to nab the fleeing attackers and further information is awaited, the CRPF officer said.