In a gruesome incident, 17 policemen were killed in an encounter with naxalites at the Laheri police outpost in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on Thursday.
Over 100 naxalites ambushed an elite police team that was conducting a routine exercise near the outpost bordering Chhattisgarh.
There were no reports of any naxalites getting killed in the encounter, which lasted 3-4 hours. Two injured policemen were admitted to hospital. With the Maharashtra Assembly elections slated for October 13, the State government is gearing itself for increased vigilance.
Gadchiroli Collector Atul Patney told The Hindu over telephone that the C-60 elite force and some policemen were conducting a search about 4 km away from the outpost when they were attacked. As soon as information was received, additional reinforcements were sent.
However, a BSF platoon and two dalams of C-60 had a tough time getting there as the roads were blocked with felled trees. There was also the fear of landmines. As a result, the reinforcement personnel took over two hours to reach the area on foot. However, Mr. Patney said, the reinforcements helped in saving 20-odd lives.
All the 17 bodies were recovered, police said.
The ambush comes on the heels of naxals torching a gram panchayat office at Ramgarh in Kurkheda, also in Gadchiroli, on Wednesday.
A group of 30-35 naxals forced the villagers to open the office and burnt it down. No one was injured.
When the Collector went to the area, he learnt of another gruesome incident in Kurkheda, where the body of a beheaded man, suspected to be a police informer, was found. He, however, said there was no confirmation that it was a murder committed by naxals.
