New Delhi: At least 17 policemen have been killed and two others injured in a Naxal attack in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Thursday.
Nearly 200 armed Naxals, dressed in olive green uniforms, attacked a police patrol about a kilometer from Lahiri village on Thursday afternoon at around 1140 hrs IST.
In the ensuing gunbattle that lasted for nearly two hours 17 police personnel were killed. According to the police Naxals also suffered some casualties but the exact number of those killed or injured is still not known.
"We are now carrying out relief operations. The encounter started at 11:40 am (1140 hrs IST) and lasted for two hours. The police party is combing the area. We are not sure about the number of the Naxals but the attack suggested that there could have been 100 Naxals," said Gadhchiroli Superintendent of Police S Jaya Kumar.
Two policemen who were seriously injured have been taken to a nearby hospital.
Police officials said that all the dead policemen belonged to Maharashtra's C-60 anti-Naxal force.
The 45 personnel of anti-Naxal force along with local police had gone to the villages to take stock of election-related arrangements. While returning from the villages situated in the forests they were ambushed by the Naxals.
The Naxals also ambushed the reinforcements, which were sent after reports of the attack came in.
Gadchiroli District Collector Atul Patne said two platoons of Border Security Force comprising about 50 men have been sent to rescue the policemen injured during the ambush.
The ambush took place nearly two kilometers from Lahiri police station in Bhamragad tehsil of Gadchiroli district.
Voting for the Maharashtra Assembly will take place on October 13.
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