Head constable slain in Chhattisgarh encounter

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, June 18 (UNI) A head constable was killed in an encounter with naxals in Bastar division's Dantewada district today and eight special police officers (SPOs) went missing after the incident, police said.

In other incidents, police firing killed a rebel and Maoists slew two villagers suspected of being informers.

Ultras posing as State Electricity Board employees requested Banda Post to provide security cover for working in the area.

Head Constable Dashruram Mogami and nine SPOs left for the spot but were surrounded a short distance away by extremists who opened fire. One of the SPOs managed to flee and alerted police. The other SPOs were carrying a self-loading rifle and other weapons including more firearms.

A police-naxal crossfire in Narayanpur district's Kandari forest killed a militant and led to seizing of a gun. Lakshman Tati was murdered in Bijapur district's Ragargatta area last night and former SPO Podyami Budhram was killed in Matwada.

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