NEW DELHI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least eight paramilitary troopers of India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed and three others wounded Tuesday after Naxal insurgents targeted their vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED) in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, officials said.
The mine proof vehicle (MPV) of CRPF was blown up at Kistaram area in Sukma district, about 395 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.
"Today a patrolling party of CRPF was going from Kistaram to Palodi in an anti-landmine vehicle which was targeted by Naxals with an IED," D. M. Awasthi, special director general of police's anti-Naxal operations told the media.
"As per the available information there were 11 CRPF personnel in the vehicle, out of which eight were killed on spot and three others wounded."
Officials said they have rushed reinforcements of police and CRPF to the area to take on Naxals there.
The CRPF men were on a search operation in the area, according to officials.
Naxalist insurgency, which began in 1967 at village Naxalbari in the Indian state of West Bengal, are now active mostly in central and eastern India.
Reports say the insurgency has claimed more than 6,000 lives and left thousands of poor inhabitants homeless.
