Three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were on Tuesday killed in a Maoist ambush in Odisha's Nuapada district, according to officials. The deceased include a jawan and two assistant sub-inspector rank personnel of the CRPF.
The Maoist attack happened in Patadhara Reserve Forest in Bheden block when the CRPF personnel were going from one camp to another, according to officials. The personnel were involved in a road opening task.
They were attacked using improvised and crude barrel grenade launchers, said officials quoting preliminary inputs.
Four more CRPF personnel are critically injured, according to reports.
"Unfortunately, three jawans have attended martyrdom in Nuapada. Our senior officers are on the way to the site," Odisha's Director-General of Police SK Bansal told PTI.
It is suspected that the Maoists had prior information regarding the movement of the forces, another police officer said. He added that they opened fire on the personnel all of a sudden.
According to a preliminary report, seven jawans were on the move when the incident took place, said this official.
Offidials said combing operations have been intensified in the area and more teams of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and CRPF are moving to the site.
The operations would continue till the Maoists are flushed out, said DGP Bansal, expressing deep condolences to the bereaved families. He said the supreme sacrifice of the personnel would not go in vain.
(With PTI inputs)
