10 policemen go missing after Chhattisgarh Maoist attack

Raipur, May 11 (ANI): At least ten policemen have gone missing after a convoy escorted by 41-member police force was attacked by heavily armed Maoists in Chhattisgarh in the late hours of Sunday.

The Maoists first attacked the convoy in Dhamtari, and then they ambushed the convoy near Risgaon village the hilly district.

According to the official report, 31 personnel out of the 41 who were escorting the convoy have come back while the whereabouts of the rest is yet to be ascertained.

Earlier reports had confirmed two casualties.

"Ten people are missing and 31 people have come back out of which many injured have been admitted to Ramkrishna Care Hospital. As soon as I get in touch with the SP, then only we can give you the exact figure of causalities," said D M Awasthi, Inspector General of Police, Raipur Range.

During the past few weeks, Maoists have targeted several police personnel across the 'Red Belt', which includes Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.

On Tesday, a senior BJPleader was shot dead in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh.

Dubbed as India's biggest internal security threat by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Maoist violence has killed around 500 policemen and civilians in 2008. (ANI)