Gadchiroli (Maharashtra): A police vehicle was blown up by Naxals on Wednesday in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. The Maoists triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) to target the police vehicle. The incident comes weeks after an IED blast near a polling booth in Gadchiroli on April 11, during the first phase of the national election.

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According to the source report, 15 commandos were reportedly killed in the blast. Pictures showed the police vehicle completely blown up. Earlier in the day, Naxals set fire to 27 machines and vehicles at a road construction site in Kurkheda of Gadchiroli district. Naxals have allegedly set ablaze 27 machines and vehicles at a road construction site in Kurkheda of Gadchiroli district on Wednesday.

The two incidents come on a day when Maharashtra is celebrating its foundation day. The Maoists were in the final stages of observing a week-long protest to mark the first anniversary of 40 of their members who were gunned down by security forces on April 22 last year.

Earlier this month, CRPF personnel had engaged with Naxals in an encounter in Gadchiroli. On April 9, five people including a BJP legislator and four security personnel were killed in a Maoist-triggered IED blast in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.

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