73 Indian security personnel killed in rebel's ambush

English.news.cn 2010-04-06 16:05:27
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-04/06/c_13239282.htm

NEW DELHI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 73 Indian security personnel were killed in an early morning ambush by left-wing rebels in the central state of Chhattisgarh Tuesday, a senior police official said.

"The Naxlites attacked a 120-member joint team of central and state security forces who have been camping in interiors of Tarmetla jungles for the last three days as part of a combing operation," Dantewada police chief Amresh Mishra told the media.

"The rebels also blew up a vehicle carrying security forces personnel of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force in the early hours near Chintalnar-Tarmetla village in the district," the police chief said.

Earlier, CNN-IBN reported that about 100 Indian security people were surprisingly attacked by about 1,000 guerrillas in Dantewada district of the eastern state of Chattisgarh at about 6 a.m.

Over 12 others of the security force were injured in the ambush, said the reports.

Choppers have been rushed to the area to evacuate the injured security personnel, some of whom are said to be in serious condition and may succumb to their injuries, said another police official.

A massive manhunt has been launched to track down the culprits, the official said, adding that reinforcements have been rushed to the spot and senior police officials are accompanying them.

Meanwhile, in the national capital, Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that the government was "shocked" by the attack.

"The loss of life is huge, I am shocked. Something went drastically wrong," he said.

Chhattisgarh's mineral rich Bastar region spread out in about 40,000 sq km is made up of five districts -- Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Bastar and Dantewada.

The latest attack came barely two days after Naxalites triggered a landmine blast killing 11 security personnel and injuring many in the Koraput district of the eastern Indian state of Orissa.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Naxal insurgency as India's "greatest internal security challenge".

It was the largest casualties suffered by the Indian security forces since the beginning of this year.

The rebels have stepped up attacks against the security forces in response to an military offensive against the rebels in the region.

The government recently began a major offensive against the rebels in several states, with Home Minister announcing that the offensive against the rebels would intensify in days to come.

The rebels have warned that such attacks would intensify unless the government halted its offensive against them. Thousands have died during the Naxalites' 20-year fight for communist rule

 

Editor: Xiong Tong