In yet another encounter with Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, 12 security personnel were feared killed on Wednesday afternoon in the forests of Jagargunda in Dantewada district, about 550 km from here.

Chhattisgarh DGP Vishwaranjan said the attack occurred at about 2.30 p.m. when a party of about 40 security personnel was near Tadmekla in the area. “The security personnel comprising Chhattisgarh Armed Police, SPOs and Chhattisgarh Police personnel were divided into two units. The rear party came under ambush as Naxalites hiding in the nearby jungles opened fire on them and the encounter is believed to have lasted about 45 minutes,” the police chief said. “Initially, while 25 security personnel returned to Jagargunda police station by late evening, 15 security personnel comprising 11 SPOs, three CAP personnel and Jagargunda SHO Hemant Kumar, who was leading the contingent, were believed to have been killed. Later, three SPOs came back with gunshot wounds,” he said.

Police sources said six injured security personnel had been admitted to the district hospital. They added that about 200 armed Naxalites ambushed the security personnel while they were trying to reopen a road in the area, which had been blocked by the extremists for the past few days. Though additional security forces have been rushed to the spot, the operation has been hampered due to low visibility.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam said an intensive search and combing operation had been launched in the area.