Four personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were killed and two others injured in a landmine blast triggered by the Maoists near the iron ore mines of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) under Bacheli police station area this evening in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

A sub-inspector, an assistant sub-inspector, a constable and driver of CISF were killed in the blast while two other constables sustained serious injuries. The CISF personnel were on routine patrolling when the Maoists blew up their jeep in the landmine attack, said Dantewada SP Amresh Mishra.

Security of the iron ore mines and other infrastructure of the NMDC, which have major operations in the Bailadila iron ore reserves in south Bastar, are with the CISF. A few years ago, the Maoist looted huge quantity of explosives from the NMDC depot.

Earlier today, Chhattisgarh police gunned down four Maoists, including a woman, in three separate encounters in Bijapur and Kanker districts in Bastar region and recovered weapons and ammunition from them.

Armed Maoists opened fire at a police party and Special Police Officers while they were patrolling in a village under Basaguda police station, leading to an encounter, said Bijapur SP Avinash Mohanty. He said the body of a Maoist was recovered from the spot while a 12 bore rifle, 15 kg of explosives and a motorcycle were seized.

4 Naxals shot in Jharkhand

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Police claimed to have killed four Maoists in an encounter inside the forest near Jonha waterfall in Ranchi district Sunday morning.

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