3 SPOs killed, 7 injured in gun battle with Maoists

     Dantewada, March 14, 2011: Three ill paid Special Police Officers (SPOs) were killed today and seven injured in a gun battle with the Maoists in Chintalnar area of Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

     Maoists sprayed indiscriminate bullets on a police party of District Force and SPOs when they were searching the jungle of Timapuram and Surpanguda, about 8 km from Chintalnar Police Outpost of Dantewada district for Maoists, police sources said.

     Police party retaliated and in the gun battle, that lasted for over two hours, three SPOs were killed and seven injured, they said adding the injured are being air lifted for further treatment.

     Meanwhile, Bijapur Police today captured four Maoists alive from the Gorna Mankeli jungle, Bijapur Police said.

     All the Maoists were in uniforms and from their possessions several objectionable materials have been seized and are being interrogated, they added.