Three Naxals involved in Jiram Valley attack on Congress leaders killed

Three Maoists, who were allegedly involved in the Jiram Valley attack on Congress leaders in Bastar in 2013, were on Wednesday killed by security forces in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

One of the Maoists has been identified by police as Bal Singh, alias, Masa, Local Guerrilla Squad (LGS) commander of the Kaanger Valley, who was carrying a prize of Rs 8 lakh on his head.

Police claimed to have seized a cache of arms and explosive from their possession.

Following secret information about the presences of Maoists, Assistant Sub-Inspector at the Katekalyan police station Sangram Singh sent a squad comprising 12 members of the District Reserve Group (DRG) and the Special Task Force to hunt them down.

However, the police team was attacked by Naxals, which was retaliated by the police team, Dantewada Superintendent of Police (SP) Kam Lochan Kashyap told ANI.

After about an hour of exchange of fire, Naxals started withdrawing and disappeared in the forest, he said.

The SP said police seized one .315 bore pistol, two guns, banners, posters, explosives, detonator, electric wires, batteries and Naxal literature among others.

Thirty-one people, including Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nandkumar Patel, were killed and scores of others injured after armed guerrillas ambushed a Congress' Parivartan Rally in the Jiram Valley of Darbha region of Bastar district on May 25, 2013.