Seven CISF personnel, 4 Maoists killed in Orissa naxal attack

Bhubaneswar, Apr 13 (PTI) Seven Central Industrial
Security Force (CISF) personnel and four Maoist guerillas were
killed in a gunfight following a daring attack by the ultras
on a well-guarded armoury and bauxite mine of National
Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) in Koraput district in
India's eastern state of Orissa, police said Monday.

Over 100 workers present in the mine during the attack
were safe.

Before fleeing from the spot, the heavily-armed
Maoists numbering about 200, including some women, looted the
CISF armoury in the mining area which contained huge
quantities of sophisticated arms and ammunition as well as
explosives.

"Seven jawans of CISF posted at the hilltop bauxite
mines in Damanjodi area were killed in the gunbattle that
continued till early morning after the Maoists attacked it
last night," Director General of Police M M Praharaj said.

Four Maoists were also killed in the encounter and two
rifles were seized from the site, he said, adding more
casualties were not ruled out as the entire area was still
being searched after the ultras fled with weapons under the
cover of darkness.

NALCO Chairman and Managing Directror C R Pradhan said
all the employees were safe and have been set free.

"They were set free at around six in the mornign after
the special operation group reached the spot," he said.

The well planned attack, apparently aimed at disrupting
the upcoming polls and loot explosives, took place shortly
after 9.30 pm Sunday night in Asia's biggest bauxite mines.

Additional forces comprising jawans of CRPF, elite
Special Operation Group (SOG) and district police have rushed
to the site, police said.

Attacking with precision, Maoists in different groups
struck various positions in the area including a CISF outpost,
armoury and canteen, police sources said.

The ultras also blew up a mobile phone tower in the site
affecting telecommunication besides erecting obstacles on
the circuitous hilly roads towards the hilltop.

Force movement was also slow due to darkness, while the
jawans had to move cautiously as there were fears of Maoists
having laid land mines in the area, they said adding the
hilltop was located at considerable height at a distance of
about 15 km from the foothills.

An alert was sounded in the entire region even as the
incident triggered panic among people in nearby township.

The attack came close on the heels of Maoist strikes in
Malkangiri and Rayagada districts. The ultras have killed
Samruddha Odisha Party candidate for Malkangiri assembly
seat.

The ultras have also given poll boycott call in several
Maoist-affect districts of Orissa.

In a similar attack in 2004, Maoists had looted police
armoury in Koraput district, while armoury and other police
establishments had been attacked and looted by the ultras in
Nayagarh district in February, 2008, sources said. PTI