Naxals kill three police commandoes in Maharashtra`s Gadchiroli

Banned CPI-M Maoists on Thursday triggered a landmine blast in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra killing at least three policemen.

Zee Media Bureau

Pune: Banned CPI-M Maoists triggered a landmine blast in a forest area on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in the wee hours on Thursday, killing at least three police commandoes. According to the Gadchiroli District Collector, the anti-Naxal commando force jawans were conducting a combing operation in the Bada Zariya forest area in Dhanora taluka following a tip-off when the Naxals triggered a landmine blast. The jawans, who were killed, belonged to the C-60 Commando Force. There was also a heavy exchange of fire after the blast, locals said. Senior police officials were rushed to the spot and the bodies are being brought to Gadchiroli, police said. This is a major attack by Maoists in the last few months after police eliminated more than 23 ultras in different operations this year. The attack could be part of a larger ambush plan of Naxals to target the government machinery, sources said. In June this year, Naxals killed three persons including a Vice President of Lloyds near Nender village in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. In 2009, nearly 200 armed Naxals, dressed in olive green uniforms, attacked a police patrol about a kilometer from Lahiri village and killed at least 17 policemen in Maharashtra`s Gadchiroli district. Naxals are said to be regrouping themselves as heavy rains in the Monsoon season makes search and combing operations difficult in dense forests.