Bhubaneswar/ Hyderabad, Feb. 8: The People’s War Group attack on key police installations of Koraput district on Friday has left Orissa police worried.

The increasing incidents of violence come in the run-up to the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls to be held simultaneously in mid-April.

Four policemen, including three jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force, were killed, while six were injured as the armed PWG members overran the relatively Naxalite-free district headquarters town of Koraput, about 500 km from Bhubaneswar.

The Naxalites, who came in waves, had blocked the main roads leading to the town, before the assault. They decamped with about 130 weapons, including .303 rifles, thousands of live bullets and a few vehicles.

The attack, which lasted for more than three hours, has lowered the morale of the force, admitted senior police officials. The last such Naxalite attack occurred in Malkangiri on July 30 when the ultras detonated a landmine killing 10 policemen in a vehicle.

Naxalite violence is usually limited to Malkangiri, Rayagada and Gajapati districts and the attack at Koraput has left police officials bewildered. Police officials in Koraput district were yet to regain their composure even as a CRPF battalion reached Koraput town today.

“Though none of us was prepared, it was definitely a setback for us. We can’t hide our losses,” said Koraput superintendent of police Arun Bothra, who along with his personal security officer had fired more than a dozen rounds at the attackers.

However, the police claimed that the Naxalites were not too “successful as they were looking for sophisticated arms and ammunition and not .303 rifles”. Till this evening, the police were busy determining the exact number of rifles and bullets that are missing.

Police officials admitted that the PWG would get a major boost after Friday’s incident, as it had virtually mocked the collective might of central and state forces. The police have started a massive combing operation in the area and have sealed all entry points to the district.

The Orissa home secretary and the director-general of police yesterday visited Koraput town to take stock of the damage to police establishments.

Orissa Congress president J.B. Patnaik has called for the imposition of President’s rule in the state following the “unprecedented Naxalite attack on Koraput”.

PWG activists also stepped up violence in Andhra Pradesh, targeting a railway station and attacking elected representatives.

Naxalites of the PWG’s Ganapathi faction yesterday blew up the Battalapalli station in Anantpur district after asking railway personnel to leave. Train services in the sector were affected for more than three hours.

The PWG also triggered a powerful Claymore mine on the vehicle of the former Anantpur MP, who narrowly escaped the blast.

Naxalites also showered bullets on the campaign vehicle of the Prakasham district marketing committee chairman, seriously injuring him.