Nagpur:
Three persons, including a Police Patil, were allegedly gunned down by a group of naxalites at a village in Maoist-hit Gadchiroli district near Nagpur in Maharashtra, police said on Thursday.
Jaspal Singh (60) and Mallikarujun Reddy (45), both from a private steel plant which had been allotted a block for mining, along with Police Patil Raju Sadaphad (65) had gone to Mange village to hold negotiations with the alleged naxalites, who were opposing the mining commission, they said.
At around 9 pm on Wednesday, the three men were allegedly gunned down by the outlawed Maoists at the village near Surjagarh in Gadchiroli, police said.
The private steel company has been allocated a block near mineral rich Surjagarh and naxals are opposed to mining there, police sources added.
Police Patils perform minor policing duties in Maharashtra villages.