At least 73 Indian security personnel were killed in an early morning ambush by left-wing rebels in the central state of Chhattisgarh Tuesday, a senior police official said.
"The Naxlites attacked a 120-member joint team of central and state security forces who have been camping in interiors of Tarmetla jungles for the last three days as part of a combing operation," Dantewada police chief Amresh Mishra told the media.
"The rebels also blew up a vehicle carrying security forces personnel of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force in the early hours near Chintalnar-Tarmetla village in the district," the police chief said.
Earlier, CNN-IBN reported that about 100 Indian security people were surprisingly attacked by about 1,000 guerrillas in Dantewada district of the
eastern state of Chattisgarh at about 6 a.m.
Over 12 others of the security force were injured in the ambush, said the reports.
Choppers have been rushed to the area to evacuate the injured security personnel, some of whom are said to be in serious condition and may succumb
to their injuries, said another police official.