Naxal landmine blast kills 9 policemen in Ch'garh

Nine policemen, including the additional superintendent of Chhattisgarh's Gariabandh district, were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Naxals in a jungle close to the border with Orissa.

A hunt is on for a missing policeman. Senior police officials on Tuesday said that a 10-member police team led by ASP Rajesh Pawar was sent to Amamora and Sonabed jungle on Monday following reports of Maoist movement in the area.

When the police team was returning on Monday evening, their vehicle broke down following which they boarded a tractor.

The Maoists then triggered a landmine blast in which the tractor was blown up. Nine policemen were killed in the attack, the officials said.

After contact with the team was lost, the Chhattisgarh police rushed a big team of Central Reserve Police Force and Special Task Force to the area.

As the site of the attack was closer to Orissa, police in the neighbouring state was alerted and requested to send a team to the spot.

A police team was sent on foot to the attack site situated in thick jungles. The police teams, which reached the spot, informed about the attack.

The bodies of the policemen killed in the attack are being brought to Gariabandh.