Kolkata, Nov 8 (IANS) Several policemen were killed in an ambush by Maoist rebels at Gidhni in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district Sunday, police said. The actual toll in the incident is not yet confirmed.
“There was an attack on a police team by the Maoists. There are reports that several of our men are dead. But we cannot confirm the exact toll now,” West Midnapore district magistrate Narayan Swarup Nigam told IANS over phone.

The victims were troopers of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR), a paramilitary force of the state police, posted in the Jamboni camp close to the ambush spot.

The EFR men, who had gone out on a patrol from the camp, were attacked at Gidhni market.

A television channel claimed four EFR jawans had died and the left wing extremists fled with their arms.

There were also reports of heavy gunfight between the Left-wing ultras and the joint security forces in the area under Jhargram sub-division, after the ambush.