Six Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans and a civilian were killed in an ambush by naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district late Sunday.
The jawans, including a head constable and five constables, were on patrol duty guarding the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) facility in Kirandul, 420 km from state capital Raipur, when naxals ambushed them at around 9.30pm.
“Dozens of armed Maoists ambushed a vehicle carrying a patrol team of the CISF jawans and sprayed bullets all around. Six troopers were killed besides a civilian driver,” Dantewada superintendent of police Narendra Khare said.
Additional forces were rushed to the spot, Chhattisgarh ADGP (anti-naxal operations) Ram Nivas said. An unknown number of jawans were injured and were being rescued, he said.
The Kirandul-Bacheli mines of the NMDC in the jungles of Dantewada are a naxal hotbed and clashes between the insurgents and the security forces are regular in the area.
Official sources said five AK-47 rifles, one Insas gun and a large quantity of ammunition were looted by the naxals. Senior officials at CISF headquarters in Delhi and at Raipur said they were trying to ascertain details.