Police probe 'Maoist' attack on CISF jawans

KORAPUT: A day after two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans were reportedly shot at by suspected Maoists at the Panchpatmali bauxite mining hills belonging to Nalco in Damanjodi, police initiated investigation into the case on Thursday.

A CISF vehicle came under heavy firing on Wednesday night while returning from the Panchpatmali mining area after dropping jawans on night duty. The two injured jawans, R K Meena (driver) and Kisan Vallabhi (constable), were shifted to a hospital at Vishakapatnam on Thursday for treatment. Their condition is stated to be stable.

"Though the possibility of the involvement of Maoists in the incident can't be ruled out, other angles are also being looked into. We can't jump to any conclusion," said DIG Saumeyendra Priyadarsi, who visited the crime spot on Thursday. "We recovered at least seven empty bullet cases from the spot. The bullets were fired from either an AK 47 or a 303 gun. Two bullets hit two CISF personnel present in the vehicle," the DIG said.

Sources said as the Panchpatmali hill is on the Maoist corridor which connects Narayanpatna with Andhra Pradesh, possibility of the involvement of Maoists in the attack is very high. Sources said the Maoists could attack the CISF vehicle easily as movement of security forces was very limited in the area since the abduction of Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka.

In April 2009, the Maoists had attacked a magazine house of the CISF located at the Panchpatmali hills and killed at least 10 CISF jawans. Six Maoists were also killed in the 10-hour-long gun-battle.
Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Police-probe-Maoist-attack-on-CISF-jawans/articleshow/12741134.cms