Naxals attack boat, 39 cops feared drowned

Team of Orissa, Andhra cops was on its way to conduct joint operation

BHUBANESHWAR: Thirty-nine greyhound commandos of the anti-Naxal force, drawn from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh police forces, were feared drowned after Maoists attacked the motor boat in which they were crossing the Chitrakonda reservoir in Orissa’s Malkangiri district, about 550 km from Bhubaneswar, on Sunday.

Orissa police chief Gopal Chandra Nanda said the incident occurred when 64 commandos of the elite Greyhound Force were on their way for a joint operation against Maoists, who were observing a protest week since June 26 against alleged police excesses.

Nanda said the boat came under Maoist fire near Alampetta village. While 25 personnel, including a launch helper, could swim ashore, the whereabouts of 39 others was not known.

As many as 25 policemen, who had sustained bullet injuries, were rescued and 15 of them were later shifted to Visakhapatnam for treatment.

Two helicopters were engaged to trace out the missing personnel, according to police sources.

“A massive search operation was started,” Nanda said. “By Monday morning we will have detailed information,” he said.