12 cops die in rebel ambush

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dhamtari (Chhattisgarh) May 11: Twelve policemen and a civilian were killed when Maoists ambushed a search party in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh. The incident took place late Sunday evening. But, the information was only revealed in the morning today when the jawans, who escaped, managed to reach the nearest Sihawa police station after passing a night in the forests. “A 41-member police party left for a search operation in Dhamtari district’s Risgaon village after receiving a tip-off that rebels were seen camping in the area,” deputy inspector-general (headquarters) Pawan Deo told The Telegraph. Besides three jeeps, the jawans were travelling in a Tata jeep. As the security personnel reached the spot, rebels first detonated series of landmine blasts before firing from the hilltops after cordoning off the area, Deo said. Ten constables, one hawaldar, one special police officer and a civilian — a driver — were killed on the spot, some 130km from Raipur. Other jawans took position and returned the fire. Sources said 150 rebels were present in the spot and during the encounter the personnel’s stock of ammunition were exhausted even as the Maoists cadre continued to spray bullets. Finding no way out, the jawans fled and walked into the forests. Since most were not aware of the region’s topography, they missed the main route and were forced to spend the night in the dense forests. The personnel reached Nagri police station, 26km from the place of attack, today in the morning. It was only after the jawans returned that senior officers could gauge the seriousness of the situation. Senior officers and additional force reached the spot in the afternoon. Sources said rebels looted the weapons from the slain jawans and torched three vehicles and parts of the forest. Senior police officer from Dhamtari said bodies of a few jawans were badly charred. When the police party reached the spot, a few bodies that were still on fire were extinguished. Sources said about 10 jawans were injured in the attack. Three of them were airlifted to Raipur in the afternoon after their condition deteriorated. The state condemned the ambush and resolved to effectively combat the rebel menace in the state. Reacting to the incident, state home minister Nankiram Kanwar said the incidents will not deter the government or the force from fighting the rebels in Maoist strongholds.