Naxalites burn 3 tractors, exchange fire with police

Nagpur, Nov 20 (UNI) In two separate incidents, suspected naxalites set ablaze three tractors and exchanged fire with the police in Gadchiroli district in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra today.

According to police, a group of 20 to 25 armed naxalites poured diesel on tractors and set them afire near village Ambezara. The tractors were owned by a private contractor and were engaged in road construction work in the district. The outlaws burned the vehicles with the intention of obstructing the road construction, police said.

In another incident, a group of suspected naxalites exchanged fire with a police patrol party near village Bodaldand in the district this morning. The naxalites were lying in wait in the dense forests and opened fire on a police party, carrying out a combing operation in the area, the police added.

Finding the police gaining upper hand, they fled into the jungle.

Later, the police recovered arms, ammunition and other material, including a 9-mm carbine, one 8-mm rifle, ten live rounds of 9-mm carbine, four live cartridges of 8-mm rifle, and naxalite literature.

The amount of blood indicated that at least five naxalites had sustained serious injuries or were killed in the encounter, they said.

UNI AB OBB RSA RK1951