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    Two policemen, DD cameraman killed in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh

    Synopsis

    Two police personnel were also injured in the incident, which took place in Nilawaya village under the Aranpur police station.

    Doordarshan Cameraman, 2 Cops Killed In Maoist Attack In Chhattisgarh
    Jagdalpur: A Doordarshan News cameraman and two policemen were killed in a Naxal attack on Tuesday in Dantewada district of poll-bound Chhattisgarh, days after the Maoists blew up a mineprotected vehicle in Bijapur district killing four CRPF jawans.

    Chhattisgarh’s deputy inspector general of police (South Bastar) RL Dangi told ET that DD News cameraman Achyutananda Sahu, sub-inspector Rudra Pratap Singh and assistant constable Mangaloo Mandawi were killed when a team of armed Naxals fired at them around 10 am at Nilawaya village in Dantewada.

    Two journalists of DD News are safe and two injured cops have been rushed to a Dantewada hospital, said Dangi. Sahu died on the spot since the bullets fired by the Maoists hit his head and chest, the DIG, who rushed to the spot, said.

    A senior CRPF officer deployed in Dantewada told ET that a threemember Doordarshan crew, which had come from Delhi, and six local personnel were visiting villages which are under the control of the Maoists. As they reached Nilawaya village, a team of about 15 armed Naxals ambushed the media personnel and the police.

    Another CRPF officer said: “The cameraman, it seems, got trapped in the ambush which the Naxalites had laid for the police and paramilitary personnel carrying out domination exercise. The whole area has been mined and spikes have been laid on roads to attack passers-by.”

    A day ago, BJP worker Nandalal Modami was killed by the Naxals in the Dantewada, taking the toll before elections to eight.

    That thick jungle region of Dantewada is considered a liberated zone and a theatre of security forces-Naxal battle. ET had recently visited Dantewada to assess election-related security scenario.

    In the last one year, police presence in Dantewada has been increased and Aranpur thana has been opened as part of the counter-Naxal strategy.

    During the last assembly elections, the polling booth of Nilawaya was moved to Aranpur due to security reasons, said DIG Dangi.

    The village Nilawaya falls under the Aranpur police station, which is more than 55 km from Dantewada. The Naxals are resisting relaying of road around Aranpur valley, a 15-km stretch between Palnar and Jagarkunda on the Dantewada highway leading to Telangana border. For the last 5-6 years, the state had been trying to complete this portion of highway, said police sources.

    Top Maoist leader Deva, in-charge of Darbha division in Dantewada, has been sighted in the area, police sources said. The Maoists appear to be increasing Red terror ahead of polls to create fear and panic in 14 Naxal-affected districts of Chhattisgarh, which includes seven in the Bastar region and Rajnandgaon, chief minister Raman Singh’s native district.


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    ( Originally published on Oct 30, 2018 )
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