Red terror is spreading in Chhattisgarh, touching districts hitherto almost unaffected.
With three deadly strikes on Sunday in Rajnandgaon district, which killed 33 people, including a superintendent of police, Naxalites have moved out of their traditional strongholds in the state — the five districts of Bastar in the South and Sarguja in the North.
In their first strike early morning, they killed two policemen at Madanwada in Rajnandgaon, about 200 km west of Raipur, when they left their fortified outpost to answer the call of nature.
As convoys of security personnel rushed towards the spot where the men were killed, came the second attack. A group of around 200 Naxalites struck, killing 25 policemen, including superintendent of police Vinod Kumar Choubey.
“The rebels laid a trap and unfortunately our police party was killed in the ambush,” deputy inspector general (intelligence) Pawan Dev told Hindustan Times. This is the first time an officer of the rank of SP has been killed by the Maoists in Chhattisgarh.
Within hours, rebels triggered another powerful landmine blast near Sitagaon, about 60 km from the district headquarters, killing six more policemen. Maoists have killed 98 securitymen in the state this year.
With Sunday’s attack, the number of security personnel killed by Maoists across the country in 2009 rose to 218.
{{/usCountry}}With Sunday’s attack, the number of security personnel killed by Maoists across the country in 2009 rose to 218.
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