Zee Media Bureau

Gadchiroili: At least seven policemen were killed in a Naxal attack here on Sunday morning after the Maoists trigger a landmine blast.

“Seven policemen killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Maharashtra`s Gadchiroili," a police official said.

According to reports, the blast occoured near Pavimuranda village in Gadchiroili, Maharashtra, around 9:30 am today.

The policemen were returning from a patrolling task when the landmine blew up their vehicle.

Officials said the slain security personnel belong to the specialised C-60 anti-Naxal operations force of Maharashtra and the blast took place when their vehicle was moving along the Murmuri-Chamuri axis of the district.

"We have lost seven of our men in the attack carried out by Naxalites.The incident occured in Gadchiroli," a senior police officer said.

The injured have been airlifted to Nagpur while additional reinforcements of security personnel have been sent, they said.

After the landmine blast, there was an exchange of fire between the police and Maoists.

Firing is still going on in the forest area, police said.

Gadchiroli has been a haven for Naxals and various such incidents have been reported in the past from this region.

The Maoist attack comes days after five policemen and three polling officials were killed when a group of suspected Maoists targeted the bus in which they were travelling in Sikaripara block of Jharkhand’s Dumka district on April 24.

On March 11, fifteen security persons killed in Chattisgarh’s Sukma district.