Maoists attack cops,civilians in Dantewada and 50 killed

Raipur: Maoists today blew up a bus killing at least 40 persons, including several Special Police Officers (SPOs), in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, in the second brazen attack in little over a month.

The Naxals attacked the bus carrying passengers from Gadiras to Bhusaras in Dantewada district, nearly 400 kms from here, using Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at around 16:45 hrs, officials said.

The SPOs, who are civilians assisting police in fighting the Naxals, were attached to Dantewada police, they said.

The IED was planted on a metalled road and detonated by the Left-Wing Extremists using remote control device.

The attack came a day before the Maoists’ call for a 48-hour bandh in five states, including Chhattisgarh, from tomorrow in protest against the security operations launched against them by the Centre