Naxals strike in mining zone, kill 4 jawans of Chhattisgarh police

Left Wing guerillas blew up a mine protected vehicle (MPV) and killed four jawans in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Monday afternoon.

The jawans belonged to the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF). Seven other policemen in the MPV, which was considered safe to sustain explosive impacts, were injured in the incident that took place near Cholnaar - about 7 kms from Kirandul town.

The spot adjoins the pocket where country's largest iron-ore exporter and producer - the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) -had major mining facilities. The company had been operating two mining complexes in the area namely in Kirandul and Bacheli.

Additional Director General of Police (anti-Naxal operations) R K Vij said 11 jawans were on board the MPV when Naxalites detonated a powerful landmine near Cholnaar - about 40 km from the district headquarters of Dantewada. In the incident, four jawans were killed while seven others were injured, Vij said, adding that the injured had been airlifted to Raipur.

The jawans were coming to Kirandul when they were ambushed. The Naxalites hiding in the area opened fire soon after the explosion that blew up the MPV several feet high. The injured jawans returned fire from inside the vehicle. The exchange continued for about an hour before the rebels slipped into the adjoining forests.

Police officials from Dantewada said the reinforcement from Cholnaar camp rushed to the spot after hearing the sound of explosion and fire. The incident had sent a shock wave of terror in the Kirandul and Bacheli townships housing the employees of the NMDC.

This was the second major Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's restive Bastar region. On Saturday, rebels ambushed a search party of the state's elite Special Task Force (STF) and killed seven commandos in Sukma district.