Four BSF jawan killed in Maoist ambush in Koraput

JEYPORE: At least four Boarder Security Forces (BSF) jawans were killed and two others were injured when the Maoists blew up their vehicle at Ralegoda ghati near Sunki village under Pattangi police limit in Koraput district on Tuesday morning. The Maoists had used an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) to explode the vehicle, police sources said.

The attack took place on the NH-26 near Ralegoda ghati between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh border. At around 9 am, when three BSF vehicles carrying about 100 security personnel were moving from Patangi to Sunki in the district was ambushed. When the IED planted in the road exploded, the third vehicle was ambushed and the first two vehicles were escaped fortunately from the explosion, sources added.  

Four of them succumbed to the injuries and two others were rushed to a local hospital at Sunki and then shifted to a private hospital in Vishakhapatnam.

Police sources said the jawans were about to go Gandhinagar of Gujarat from Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. They spent last night at a BSF transit camp in Koraput and started journey this morning, sources added.

The deceased were identified as BSF ASI Jaswant Singh, driver Surendra Kumar Singh, head constable Birendra Kumar and constable Gurudayal Singh. The injured jawans Mahendra Kochker and constable Sirajulla were rushed to a private hospital in Vishakhapatnam.

After the incident, a team of top cops has left for explosion spot from the police headquarters here. Paramilitary force has been rushed to the area, sources added.