11 bodies recovered after Naxalite attack in Bastar

Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, Nov 3 (UNI) Bodies of 11 security personnel killed in yesterday's Naxalite attack at a village in this district near inter-state border with Andhra Pradesh were recovered today, a senior police official said.

Five security personnel returned safely, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) R K Vij told UNI.

Initially it was feared that 16 out of 21 personnel, belonging to Special Armed Force and district police, were killed in the blast and indiscriminate firing by the Naxalites near Tonguda village near Pamed police station yesterday afternoon.

While five injured security personnel had managed to escape yesterday itself, he said, four others reached Pamed while another constable returned to Kerla village.

Mr Vij said bodies of the victims were recovered after an intensive search launched by the security forces in the area, where combing operations were also in progress to flush out the rebels.

UNI