Two police jawans killed in naxal attack

Two police jawans were killed in an attack by naxals in Gariaband district in Chhattisgarh today, police said.

The naxals first triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) and then opened fire in a forest area under Mainpur police station around 2.30 pm, when a team of District Force was on a search operation, a senior police official told PTI.

The two jawans lost their lives in the IED blast, he said.

Mainpur is about 150 km from the capital Raipur.

Gariaband district, which shares its borders with Odisha, has witnessed a naxal attack after a long time.

"When the patrolling team was cordoning off a hillock adjoining Odisha, naxals triggered an IED blast and opened fire. Two jawans, belonging to the DF, were killed in the blast," he said.

However, when the security forces retaliated, the ultras escaped into the dense forest, he said.

After being alerted about the incident, reinforcements were rushed to the spot and the bodies of martyred jawans were being evacuated, he said.

A massive search operation has been launched in the area, he added.