Security forces kill 17 Maoists in Chhattisgarh

As much as 17 Maoist activists have been killed in three places of Chattisgharh after a clash held between the rebels and jawans of Central Reserve Police Force. The rebels had attacked on CRPF's van Thursday night.

Six Jawans of CRPF have also been severely injured during clash.

Four Maoists have been arrested.

According to sources, the Maoists attacked security forces at Dornapal in Sukma district, at Bijapur and in Narayanpur district on Thursday night.

In the retaliatory fire in Bijapur, at least 17 guerrillas were killed.

According to police sources, security forces learnt that a large number of Maoists were meeting in the jungles of Korsagudaunder Basaguda in Bijapur district Thursday night.

A joint team of the Special Task Force, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and COBRA battalion was dispatched to the site.

Smelling danger, the Maoists attacked the security forces, triggering heavy gun battles that left 17 rebels dead and several injured.

The surviving insurgents escaped.

Six CRPF personnel were injured in the fight. Of them, the two seriously injured were flown to Raipur and admitted to the MMI Hospital for emergency treatment.

Security forces seized two guns, one rifle and three bombs from the site.

--With IANS Inputs--