3 Maoists killed in Dantewada gunbattle

Security personnel have recovered three bodies,a carbine,a 12-bore gun and a muzzle-loading gun from the encounter spot,Dantewada district police sources said.

They said a team of security personnel from the Pollampalli base camp was patrolling the forests of Rangaiguda and Korra hills under ― an area where Naxals are active ―when they had a chance encounter with the rebels. The encounter was successful and the Koya commandos returned to their Pollampalli base camp,the police said.

Koya Commandos are Special Police Officers (SPOs),who are given advanced training in jungle warfare. Being local tribal youth,they easily identify Maoists operating in their respective areas. Koya Commandos,therefore,have always been the target of Maoist rebels.

Chintagufa and Chintalnar police station areas are considered as hyper-sensitive region,particularly because of the heavy presence of rebel cadres in the region. On April six this year,Maoists had massacred 76 security personnel at Tadmetla under Chintalnar police station. The 58 kilometer-long road from Dornapal Jagargunda road,which passes through Pollampalli,Kankerlanka,Chintagufa,Chintalnar,is heavily mined by the Maoists.