Kin of Naxal blast victim thought dreaded call was wrong number

Head Constable Budhram Korsa, constables Dumma Markam, Pandaru Ram, Baman Sodhi, all belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG), and constable Somdu Vetti of Bastar Fighters were earlier active as Maoists and joined the police force after they surrendered, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI.

Korsa and Sodhi were natives of Bijapur district, while three others hailed from adjoining Dantewada district, he said. Last year, 792 Maoists had surrendered in Bastar region, comprising seven districts, he said.

Eight security personnel, four each from DRG and Bastar Fighters, both units of state police, and a civilian driver were killed after Maoists blew up a vehicle which was part of a convoy carrying security personnel near Ambeli village under the Kutru police station area of the district on Monday.