As many as 16 policemen were killed after Maoists triggered an IED device in Lendari in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Wednesday. Maoists ambushed the policemen after the vehicle (MH33T0483) they were travelling in was blown up due to the impact of the blast. A total of twenty-five commandos were travelling in the vehicle. Reports said a fierce gunbattle is still going on between the forces and Maoists in Gadchiroli. After the attack, the state has cancelled the Maharashtra Day celebrations in view of the tragedy.

In the morning, the Maoists torched 27 machines and vehicles on a road construction site in Kurkheda in Gadchiroli. The incident took place when the commandos from the C60 unit were going to inspect the vehicles set ablaze by the Maoists. The attack is the second one in 24 hours.