Raipur: In a brazen daytime attack, Naxals today ambushed a security team killing 15 personnel including 11 of the CRPF and also a civilian in a chilling reminder of the 2010 massacre of 76 securitymen in the same area in the worst-hit Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.
The attack at 1015 am at ‘Jeerum Nullah', 400 km from here, came when a contingent of 44 joint security forces personnel was trapped and struck by heavy fire and landmine blasts while it was out for an operational task in the jungles of Tongapal, close to the Dantewada and ‘Jeerum Ghati' axis, notorious for Naxal violence.
The location of the major ambush by a large group of Naxals is close to the ‘Jeeram Ghati' area in Sukma district in the Bastar region where the top Congress leadership of the state was wiped out by Maoists in May last year when they killed 25 people.
“11 CRPF personnel and four state policemen were killed. Inspector Subhash of CRPF was leading the squad and he has also been killed,” DIG (SIB) of Chattisgarh police Dipanshu Kabra told reporters. A civilian was also killed in the attack, he said, adding three people have been injured.
An assistant commandant rank officer of CRPF is also believed to among the victims, sources said.
Chhattisgarh's Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Mukesh Gupta said the joint team was attacked by a large group of Naxals numbering close to 100.
A large manhunt has been launched to nab the attackers who escaped in the thick jungles. It was not immediately known if the Naxals had suffered any casualties.
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