Seven policemen killed, one injured in Chhattisgarh as Maoists blow up police vehicle

Seven policemen were killed when Maoists blew up a vehicle, carrying seven policemen, in the Dantewada district of south Chhattisgarh on Sunday.

The improvised explosive device (IED) blast took place near Cholnar village, around 20 kilometres from Kirandul town, Dantewada.

The Dantewada Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr..P.Sunder Raj gave confirmation that five out of the seven policemen who were travelling in the vehicle died on the spot of the incident.

Two policemen were taken to a nearby hospital where both of them succumbed to their injuries.

The Maoists reportedly took away some weapons of the policemen after the blast, but officials refused to confirm this.

The policemen were travelling in a private vehicle going towards Cholnar from Kirandul.

The incident comes two days before Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's scheduled visit to Dantewada, where he is going to participate in the BJP's Vikas Yatra.