Three paramilitary policemen were killed and several injured Saturday in an ambush by suspected Maoist rebels in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, news reports said, dpa reported
A Central Reserve Police Force team was attacked as it was inspecting a site in the Dantewada forest for a base camp, the IANS news agency reported.
A group of more than 200 rebels attacked the police team, Chhattisgarh police chief Vishwa Ranjan was quoted as saying.
Roads leading to the area had been blasted to prevent reinforcements from reaching the area, located 500 kilometres south of the state capital, Raipur.
A helicopter was sent to evacuate injured policemen, Ranjan said, adding that the casualty figure could rise.
The attack was the third blamed on rebels in Chhattisgarh in as many days. An anti-landmine vehicle was blown up Friday in Dantewada, killing 10 security personnel. On Thursday, five policemen were fatally shot in the adjoining Narayanpur district.
More than one-third of India's 626 administrative districts are affected by the Maoist insurgency.
The rebels said they are fighting for the rights of tribal, landless and poor people in some of the country's poorest regions.
At least 324 rebels, troops and civilians have been killed in incidents linked to the insurgency since January