28 girls escape rebel wrath at Ranibodli

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Mar 15 (UNI) Twenty-eight girls had a miraculous escape when naxals stormed a police camp -- housed in an Ashram school building -- at Dantewada district's Ranibodli, killing 50 people in the wee hours today.

An injured Chhattisgarh Special Armed Force (CSAF) Constable Kamal Gawde, who was brought here for treatment, told UNI that several armed rebels cordoned off the girls school where 28 students were present. The building's other portion was being used as the camp.

Pointing out that the Maoists used a generator for illuminating the area to lob petrol bombs, he claimed that the naxals continued their attack for almost three hours from 0200 hrs, targeting CSAF personnel and special police officers (SPOs).

A few constables and many SPOs rushed to the other portion of the building to save the girls. Sixty-five SPOs were posted at the camp but some of them were on leave.

The constable claimed that a few rebels were also killed in an ensuing encounter but the Maoists carried the bodies away. The naxals also looted weapons, including .303 rifles, self-loading rifles and AK-47 rifles.

Rebels active in Bastar region have been targeting Ashram school buildings for long as the personnel were using these buildings as camps. Several such buildings have been destroyed by Maoists over the past few years while many other such schools were lying closed due to the naxal threat.

UNI

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