14 people, including 13 policemen, killed in naxal attack

NAYAGARH (Orissa): Striking in a big way for the first time in coastal Orissa, Naxalites killed 14 people, including 13 policemen, besides injuring 10 others and looting the district armoury here after virtually laying siege to the town, police said on Saturday.

In a daring and meticulously planned attack late last night, the ultras targetted a police training school, armoury and a police station in Nayagarh and another police station at Daspalla, the police said.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was taken away in a truck and a bus they had hijacked, the police said.

A group of nearly 100 naxals, including women cadre, with bombs and firearms carried out the attack killing 13 police personnel, including two women, and a civilian besides causing injuries to about nine persons, Nayagarh Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar said.

While 10 police personnel were killed at the PTS, armoury and Nayagarh police station, a civilian caught in crossfire died at Daspalla, he said.

Two police personnel were shot dead by the naxalites while they were returning after carrying out the operation at Mahipur police outpost.

One injured policemen succumbed to his wounds on Saturday.

Five of the injured were sent to SCB medical college hospital at Cuttack and the rest admitted to hospitals here and at Daspalla, the police said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today visited the armoury and the police training school at Nayagarh.