State Director General of Police Abhayanand told PTI that the three policemen belonged to Special Auxilliary Police Unit while the other two deceased were private security guards at the site of the construction of a culvert in the district.
Around 50 armed ultras arrived at the culvert in Goh area in the district and exploded bombs in a bid to destroy it. However, the culvert suffered minor damages in the attack, the DGP said.
A gunfight erupted when a police contingent in the form of reinforcement reached the spot on getting the information about the Maoist attack. The ultras fired at the security personnel who retaliated.
Casualty or injury on the side of the red rebels could not be ascertained. A combing operation was on, the DGP added.