NEW DELHI, Nov 27 (KUNA) -- At least four personnel belonging to paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed while two other sustained critical injuries after Maoist insurgents ambushed their patrol in India's central state of Chhattisgarh, Police said Wednesday.
The police said that the incident happened in Bijapur district when a CRPF patrol, entrusted to secure the roads, was ambushed by Maoist insurgents in the forests of Modakpal area on Wednesday morning.
More than hundred Maoist insurgents were hiding in the forest when they attacked the patrol and sprayed bullets upon them, police said. The attack left four CRPF men dead, five other injured. They further said the insurgents decamped with weapons of soldiers during an hour-long encounter.
Police said the injured have been hospitalized while as the additional contingents of police and CRPF have been sent to the spot to take control of the situation.
Senior security officials and members of civil administrations have also reached the spot.
On November 21, India said that Maoist rebels continue to pose major threat to the country's national security as they continue to target security forces and political leaders.
The Maoist rebels are active in 83 districts spread across nine states of India.
The Maoist rebels have been fighting in several Indian states for more than 40 years claiming they have been inspired by the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already described the Maoist rebels as India's biggest internal security challenge. (end) wk.tg KUNA 271756 Nov 13NNNN