10 Policemen killed as Maoists blew up anti-land mine vehicle

     Dantewada, June 10, 2011: Maoists have triggered a powerful land mine blast and killed ten policemen in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh only after they shot dead five policemen earlier in the day at Narayanpur district, police said today.

     When policemen were travelling in two vehicles, Maoists triggered a powerful land mine blast targeting an anti-land mine vehicle near Gatam in Katekalyan police station area, about 31 km from Dantewada district headquarters last night.

     Ten policemen, including seven Special Police Officers (SPOs) were killed due to the land mine blast and subsequent indiscriminate firing by the Maoists, Dantewada District Superintendent of Police Ankit Garg told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com today.

     The impact of the blast was so powerful that the explosion left a ten feet crater on the Katekalyan road, police officials said.

     In that incident three security personnel were seriously injured and they are being airlifted for a better treatment, they said.

     Injured policemen have stated that women Maoists had actively participated in the Gatam attack.

     The Gatam incident took place at about 11.30 PM where as at about 7.30 AM the same yesterday five policemen were killed when a large number of armed Maoists raided the Jharaghati police post.

     The Jharghati police post, located about 26 km from the district headquarters Narayanpur, was opened two months back to combat the Maoists, police said.