Raipur:
Suspected Naxals shot at an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter injuring a security man in the Maoist hotbed of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.
According to preliminary reports, the Mi-17 helicopter was on a mission to airlift two injured jawans of the Chhattisgarh Police when it was fired upon. The helicopter had flown from the state capital and it had gone off the radar for sometime, police said.
At around 5 pm, when the helicopter was descending to pick up the injured jawans, it was hit. The wireless operator of the chopper was also injured in the firing.
The chopper aborted the mission after it started losing fuel and suffered hydraulic and generator failure. It landed a few kilometres away. The six crew members, including the captain JS Singh, left the injured wireless operator behind and pushed ahead on foot in search of help.
Radio communication has now been re-established with the helicopter and 100-strong force has been dispatched for its safety.
The two cops, who were earlier injured in a shootout with the Maoists, have died.