12 security personnel feared killed in Naxalite ambush in Bastar

Dantewada, Dec 20 (UNI) At least 12 security personnel were feared killed in a naxalite ambush in the dense forests near Gollapalli in the Maoist-infested South Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

Police sources said a 33 strong force, belonging to the state armed force and district police, were in the region to escort six policemen, who had fell ill during their posting in Kistaram police station area, when the Maoists rebels ambushed them near Tarlaguda nullah this afternoon.

Police sources informed that 12 personnel were still missing while others have returned to their base.

Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma confirmed reports about the missing personnel but added that a search was on for the missing policemen.

This incident comes in the wake of the recent jail break in which 299 prisoners, including 169 Naxalites escaped from the sub-jail at Dantewada on December 18 and the security personnel were on combing operations to hunt them down.

Since the last two months, the Maoist rebels had stepped up violence, resulting in a large number of security personnel being killed in South Bastar.

More than 800 people, including 200 security personnel, were killed in South Bastar region during the last three years, particularly after the local population launched 'Salwa Judum', an anti-naxalite movement, to create awareness among the local people to keep themselves aloof from the rebels.

The Naxalites retaliated by unleashing violence, targetting those participating in the anti-naxalite movement and attacking the security forces posted in the area.

UNI