Police to launch operation against Maoists in Maharashtra

New Delhi, Oct 9 (ANI): U K Bansal, Special Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, has said the police would hunt down the Maoists who had killed the 17 to 20 policemen in Maharashtra on Thursday.

"The police will try to round up, follow whatever trails they have. See if they are able to establish contact with the Naxals. They will take them on," Bansal said.

On Thursday, Naxals killed between 17 and 20 policemen in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district.

The attack in Gadchiroli came a couple of days after they had beheaded a Special Branch police inspector Francis Enduwar in Jharkhand.

The decapitated body of Enduwar, who was kidnapped five days ago, was found on the Jamshedpur-Ranchi Highway on October 6.

It was then reported that a note had been found which warned the government that they could expect more of the same treatment if their demands were not acceded to.

The Maoists are demanding the release of their two leaders Kobad Ghandy and Chatrodhar Mahato, who were arrested by law enforcement authorities in Delhi and West Bengal respectively last month. (ANI)