105 policemen killed in Naxal attack

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, May 29 (UNI) Police lost 105 personnel in 150 days.

This is the latest statistics highlighting the magnitude of naxalite violence in the tribal-dominated Bastar division in Chhattisgarh.

As many as 105 police personnel, including 8 officers, were among 170 lives lost in naxal violence in the past five months in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, while 39 ultras also were killed in police action during the period.

A record number of 85 fire arms, including 15 AK47, were looted by the Maoists in the increased hostilities between the security forces and CPI(Maoist) cadre, official sources said.

Altogether 65 activists, mostly tribal youth involved in the BJP government-supported anti-naxal 'Salwa Judum' campaign, also lost their lives in the naxal attacks.

About two years ago, the state government intensified the campaign against naxals, who also retaliated with full vigour, entrapping poor tribals in the increased hostilities. Tribals deserted about 300 villages and took shelter in government-run camps, which also came under naxal attack.

In order to crush down the ultras, the government appointed former Director General of Punjab Police K P S Gill as its Security Adviser for a year and the contract was not renewed last month.

The worst naxal attack was witnessed at Ranibodli police camp, where 55 police personnel, including 3 Assistant Platoon Commanders and 39 Special Police Officers, were killed on March 15.

Local tribal youth were appointed as SPOs on a monthly honorarium of Rs 1500 to assist the security forces in anti-naxal operations in the thickly forested Bastar region.

Nine police personnel were killed in naxal ambush in Mardapal police station area of Bastar district yesterday.

UNI