Hyderabad, May 8: Three commandos of Telangana’s elite anti-Maoist force Greyhounds were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Mulugu district bordering Chhattisgarh on Thursday.

The incident occurred in the forest area on the border of Venkapuram mandal when the Greyhound commandos were engaged in combing operations.

Two constables and one Sub-Inspector rank commandos died on the spot. The police shifted their bodies to MGM Hospital, Warangal, for autopsy. The deceased were identified as Sub-Inspector Ranadheer and constables Sandeep and Pawan Kalyan.

This marks the first fatalities of the year for Telangana Police in anti-Maoist operations.

Greyhounds personnel were engaged in combing operations in the Wajedu area as part of a routine area domination exercise.

The incident did not take place during any intended operation and was not related to the ongoing anti-Maoist operation by security forces in Chhattisgarh near the Telangana border, police said.

According to police, the banned CPI-Maoist had planted IEDs near Veerabhadravaram-Tadapala hillocks in the Wajedu-Perur forest zone in Mulugu district.

Mulugu and its adjacent Bhadradri Kothagudem district are considered Maoist-affected regions. Telangana Police is on high alert in these districts in view of the ongoing operations in Chhattisgarh.

Telangana Police are also assisting the police of the neighbouring state in the ongoing operation.

Meanwhile, there are reports of five police personnel from Telangana losing their lives in the encounter with Maoists in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh near the Telangana border on Thursday.

Telangana Police have not yet confirmed the fatalities. Eight Maoists were also reportedly killed in the encounter.

The incident took place in Karregutta hills located on the border of Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

As many as 22 Maoists were killed in the encounter with the security forces in the area on Wednesday.

The anti-Maoist operation launched last month involves about 20,000 personnel and is being led by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in conjunction with units of the Chhattisgarh Police.

--IANS

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