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Three Border Security Force personnel and a civilian were killed on Wednesday and six injured when Naxalities ambushed a patrol of the paramilitary force and triggered a landmine blast in the jungles of this district in Odisha.
The patrol of the 104th battalion of BSF was near its Janbai base in Malkangiri district when Maoists ambushed it with a landmine blast and firing at around 7.30 am, a senior official said.
"Three personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector, head constable and constable have been killed in the ambush while the company commander Assistant Commandant Ashok Kumar is among the six injured," he said.
Officials said a civilian was also killed during the ambush and senior BSF commanders have rushed to the spot.
"The officer, who is injured, has lost an eye. He and others have been admitted to government hospital in Malkangiri," they said.
Fresh BSF reinforcements have been rushed in from nearby locations, they said.
The BSF is deployed in the area for conducting anti-Naxal operations and the squad, which went on patrol on Tuesday night, was on a similar task when the ambush happened.
The explosion took place when the group of BSF personnel from Janbai base camp near the construction site of Gurupriya bridge reached Chintamdoli ghat after crossing Chitrakonda reservoir by a boat, Inspector In-Charge of Chitrakonda police station Pitabas Dharua said.
Soon after the landmine at the ghat went off, some Maoists present in the area also opened fire on the BSF personnel, he said, adding that the BSF men returned the fire.
The six injured BSF jawans were immediately taken to the district headquarters hospital in Malkangiri, Inspector In-Charge of Malkangiri Police Station, R K Das said.
The condition of three jawans was stated to be critical, he said.
The bodies of the slain jawans were being brought to the hospital for post-mortem, he said.
Photograph: Representation picture