16 killed in Maoist ambush

• 15 security men, 1 civilian slain in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district
• 44 security personnel trapped, hit by heavy fire, landmine blasts
• Ambush in same area where 76 securitymen were killed in 2010
• Last May, top Congressmen of State were wiped out by Maoists

Raipur: In a brazen daytime attack, Maoists on Tuesday ambushed a security team killing 15 personnel including 11 of the CRPF and also a civilian in a chilling reminder of the 2010 massacre of 76 securitymen in the same area in the worst-hit Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

The attack at 10.15 am at 'Jeerum Nullah', 400 km from here, came when a contingent of 44 joint security forces personnel was trapped and struck by heavy fire and landmine blasts while it was out for an operational task in the jungles of Tongapal, close to the Dantewada and 'Jeerum Ghati' axis, notorious for Maoist violence.

The attack comes a few days after the Election Commission announced dates for General Election. Maoists are opposed to democratic process and call upon to boycott it.

The location of the major ambush by a large group of Maoists is close to the 'Jeeram Ghati' area in Sukma district in the Bastar region where the top Congress leadership of the state was wiped out by Maoists in May last year when they killed 25 people. "11 CRPF personnel and four state policemen were killed. Inspector Subhash of CRPF was leading the squad and he has also been killed," DIG (SIB) of Chhattisgarh police Dipanshu Kabra told reporters. A civilian was also killed in the attack, he said, adding three people have been injured. An assistant commandant rank officer of CRPF is also believed to among the victims, sources said. Chhattisgarh's Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Mukesh Gupta said the joint team was attacked by a large group of Naxals numbering close to 100. A large manhunt has been launched to nab the attackers who escaped in the thick jungles. It was not immediately known if the Naxals had suffered any casualties.

Police sources said the deaths of the securitymen were caused due to bullet injuries. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has cancelled his scheduled programme and convened an emergency meeting of security officials in the state capital here. "The area is heavily mined and hence reinforcements are treading cautiously," CRPF Inspector General (Operations) in Delhi Zulfiquar Hasan told PTI.

The incident took place in the same area where Naxals had killed 76 police personnel in April 2010, the biggest blow to security forces till this time in anti-Naxal operations. In New Delhi, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said details are still awaited. The squad that included 30 CRPF and 14 state police personnel was conducting a road opening task when Naxals triggered landmine blasts and firing.

Sources said two IAF helicopters have been sent in from Jagdalpur and Raipur to the ambush area with reinforcements drawn from the CoBRA battalion and CRPF.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said in New Delhi: "Eleven CRPF people have died and four policemen from Chhattisgarh (were killed).

One civilian has died...This is the second (attack) in the same area." "We will fight against Naxal movement," he said, adding it cannot be immediately said "whose failure" it was. It was not clear if any of the attackers, who were from the Communist Party of India-Maoist, were also killed.