Raipur, (Hindustan Times), Mar 13, 2018 -  
Nine personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed and three others were injured in an encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Tuesday afternoon.  

“The encounter took place after the Maoists triggered an IED on an anti-landmine vehicle of the 212 CRPF Battalion’s patrolling team was going from Kistaram to Palodi,” special director general of police (anti-Naxal operations) DM Awasthi said.  

Following the blast, an encounter ensued in which nine jawans were killed and three others were seriously injured.  

Awasthi said reinforcements have reached the spot and the firing has stopped. “We are airlifting the injured from the spot,” he said.  

Sukma has been one of the worst insurgency-hit regions in India, having seen decades of bloody conflict between security forces and Left-wing extremists.  

Senior intelligence officers of Chhattisgarh believe the recent joint operation of Telangana and Chhattisgarh police has rattled Maoist leaders and this attack was done to avenge the a recent encounter of Maoists.