4 policemen killed in encounter in Gadchiroli

Gadchiroli, Oct 26 (UNI) Four policemen, including a sub-inspector, were killed and five others injured, in an encounter with suspected naxalites in the forests of Gadchiroli district in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra today.

According to police, a group of naxalites lying in wait opened fire on a police search party when it was carrying out a routine combing operation in the jungles near village Korepalli, about 150 kilometres from here, this morning. The fire was returned, and the exchange continued for a while, they said.

Police Sub-Inspector S R Parekar, and constables Vinod Uike, Ajay Ashte and Vasant Madavi were hit by bullets during the exchange, and died on the spot, police said. Five others, including one officer and four constables, sustained grievous injuries, and have been admitted to a private nursing home in Nagpur, they said.

The outlaws fled into the jungles taking advantage of the darkness, police said. Senior police officials, including Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Anti-Naxalite Operations (ANO) Pankaj Gupta and Gadchiroli District Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Pradhan have rushed to the spot, they added.

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