Other States - Orissa   

All missing Greyhound personnel feared dead

CHITRAKONDA (Malkangiri dist of Orissa): All the 35 policemen missing after Maoists fired at their motor launch in Balimela reservoir are now feared dead as none of the bodies could be traced till Monday evening.

Efforts by the police and naval personnel to locate the bodies till Monday evening proved futile. Earlier, at around 11 am, three naval helicopters arrived at Chitrakonda carrying two Gemini boats. When initial efforts to pinpoint the site where the launch sank did not fructify, the personnel who sustained minor injuries in the attack were taken in a helicopter to the area.

Search operations last evening were given up after light failed. Inspector General of Police (Greyhounds) Rajiv Trivedi, Superintendent of Police Akul Sabarwal and Greyhounds Group Commander Vinjit Brijlal supervised the operations in which 13 divers, including a Naval officer, took part.

The SP said the presence of oil at one place indicated the place where the launch capsized.

He said that there were 63 occupants in the vessel, including three crew members and two policemen of Orissa. Sankara Rao, assistant to the launch driver who jumped into the water, was taken away by the Maoists and released later.

Another member of the crew, Manoranjan Dev told the media at Chitrakonda that a bomb exploded close to the launch which led to the police shifting to one side and losing balance.

Mr. Dev managed to swim ashore. Meanwhile, as many as 56 police parties are continuing the combing operations on the hills.

It is now clear that the Greyhound personnel walked into a Maoist trap. They were involved in combing operations in the Andhra-Orissa Border forest as the Maoists were observing a protest week from June 26 to July 2.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

All missing Greyhound personnel feared dead
First phase of rare surgery performed on tribal girl
Trains to remain cancelled till July 3
On the warpath
Ex-gratia announced
Internal strife mars Utkal Sammilini
Irate residents, traders block road for over three hours
Extremist output claims responsibility for murder
One killed, 43 injured in accident
Naxals target mobile tower in Rayagada district
CPI to enter fray in Aska
Chitrakonda turned into a naxal fortress
Special allowance for contract nurses
Additional charge for Jharkhand Governor
Ex gratia announced
Social activist dead
In protest mode

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu