Maharashtra's anti-Naxalite campaign received its biggest jolt on Sunday when Maoists killed 15 policemen in an ambush in the border area of Gadchiroli. They struck in the morning when a police party was investigating another incident that happened two days ago near Markegaon village in Korchi tehsil,where Naxalites had resorted to arson. All 15 policemen,including Sub-Inspector Bhupendra Gudadekar,were killed on the spot. According to sources,the Naxalites attacked the policemen who had survived with axes. Hands and legs were severed and even eyes were gouged out, they said. The Naxalites were reportedly gathered in the area which adjoins Chhattisgarhs Rajnandgaon district in huge numbers,with almost 300-500 of them spread over three-four spots. The policemen reportedly fired 1,000-odd rounds in the nearly two-hour encounter and were killed after they ran out of ammunition. Even the policemen sent to rescue the trapped cops came under attack at three different places. It was around 5 pm that they could reach the spot,after much difficulty, sources said. It is not clear how the policemen found themselves trapped when normally a security drill is followed in such investigations. A police posse of nearly 2,000 policemen and commandos has been sent for combing operations. When the last contact was made with the cops engaged in fighting the Naxalites,special commandos were sent to the spot. They were also fired at,but none was injured, Gadchiroli Collector Niranjankumar Sudhanshu told The Indian Express. A chopper was sent from Gadchiroli to evacuate the injured,but was sent back after it was realised that nobody had survived. While Additional DGP (Anti-Naxalite Operations) Pankaj Gupta and Special IGP S B Savarkar (Nagpur range) have rushed to Gadchiroli,Home Minister Jayant Patil and Director General of Police A N Roy are expected to reach Gadchiroli tomorrow. Unconfirmed reports said Chief Minister Ashok Chavan may also visit. North Gadchiroli has become the hotbed of Naxalite activity since the police carried out Operation Sarvodaya to win the confidence of the local tribals. Todays incident is being viewed as a retaliation by Naxalites. Maoist cadres from Chhattisgarh are also believed to have made their way here following pressure back home.
