Chhattisgarh: SHO among 2 cops killed in Naxal ambush, 6 hurt

Two policemen, including a station house officer, were on Monday killed while six other security personnel were injured when Naxals ambushed a joint patrolling team in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district.

The incident occurred when a group of armed Maoists opened fire at the Paralkot village number 101 under Bande police station area where the joint team of state police and
Border Security Force personnel were out on patrol, IG (Intelligence) Deepanshu Kabra told PTI.

The encounter spot is about 250 km from Raipur. Chhattisgarh Additional Director General (anti-Naxal operations) R K Vij said the ambushed squad fought valiantly and retaliated with heavy fire at the red ultras.

"Station House Officer Avinash Sharma and Constable Sonu of the state police have been martyred while Assistant Commandant Vivek Rawat of the BSF has been injured along with five others," a senior official said.

The security personnel, total 10 in number, were part of a special 'strike' unit that was out in the jungles and were bike-borne when the ambush occurred. SHO Sharma of the Bande police station was in the lead team when the Naxals opened fire.

A reinforcement squad of BSF troops was soon rushed to the spot and the injured were later shifted to a nearby hospital. BSF trooper Ramdhan has been injured in the eye in the encounter, the official said.

This incident in Kanker occurred after a long time as major Naxal violence incidents have been taking place in Bastar region of the state often.