Three junior commandos of Greyhounds killed, Assistant Assault Commander injured in ambush by Maoists in Telangana’s Mulugu district

Three junior commandos of Greyhounds, the anti-Naxal force of Telangana police, were killed and an Assistant Assault Commander (AAC) of the elite force was injured in an ambush by Maoists in the Nugur forest area near Penugolu village in Wazeedu mandal of Telangana’s Mulugu district on Thursday (May 8, 2025) morning.

The deceased commandos were identified as Vadla Sridhar, N. Pavan Kalyan and T. Sandeep. The AAC, Ch. Ranadheer, sustained firearm injuries in the attack that took place in the forested area close to the volatile Telangana-Chhattisgarh border.

The Greyhounds unit, which was part of a patrol team comprising Mulugu police, launched a search operation in Nugur forest area on Wednesday night to unearth the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by Maoists and defuse them. The search operation was launched in the wake of the recent statement purportedly given by Maoists stating that they had planted bombs in the area, warning locals against movement, police said.

The patrol team was searching the area around 6 a.m. on Thursday when a group of 35 to 40 armed Maoists waiting in ambush triggered landmines and resorted to heavy gunfire targeting the search party. The Maoists stopped firing and ran away when the police party fired back in self-defence, police added.

The three junior commandos succumbed to bullet injuries on the spot. Their bodies were flown to Warangal in a chopper where the post-mortem examination was done at MGM Hospital later in the day.

The injured AAC was shifted to Hyderabad for better treatment. His condition was stated to be stable.

Meanwhile, Panchayat Raj Minister D. Anasuya, Director General of Police Jitender, ADG-Greyhounds M.Stephen Raveendra, and a host of senior police officials paid homage to the three junior commandoes at the Warangal Police Commissionerate office premises on Thursday evening.

Published - May 09, 2025 07:43 am IST