Eleven CRPF personnel were killed on Tuesday in a landmine blast triggered by suspected Naxalites in the Pushtola district of Maharashtra.
The troops were reportedly travelling in a bus and were going from Pushtola to Gatta when the blast took place, CRPF officials said. They were killed on the spot.
CRPF Chief K Vijay Kumar is on a tour of Maharashtra and was in Gadchiroli after he started from Nagpur this morning, they said, adding he was now on his way to the attack spot.
The CRPF officials said the casualty and injured figures could rise as a reinforcement team has been rushed to the area.
The troops belonging to the 192nd battalion of the force were deployed there.
According to the police in Nagpur, several others were injured when the Naxalites blew up the bus carrying them.
Preliminary reports received in the office of IG (Operations) Sunil Ramanand said the incident occurred near Pustola village on Karwafa-Fulbodi Gutta road, about 4 kms from Gadchiroli, around noon.
Combing of the area has already begun, they said.
In Mumbai, where the state Legislature is in session, Home Minister R R Patil is expected to make a statement in the Assembly on the attack.
“I am gathering information and will make a statement in the House,” Patil said.
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