( CNN ) -- At least 20 police officers were feared killed Tuesday in a Maoist raid in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh , authorities said . `` Unconfirmed sources tell us 20 policemen have lost their lives , '' said Arun Dev Gautam , the state police inspector general . The morning attack targeted a police security team of about 40 personnel in Sukma district , he said . Gautam did n't rule out the use of landmines in the assault believed to involve 200 rebel fighters . The Maoists ambushed the police team , which included state and armed federal personnel , as it provided security to construction workers , he said . At a police conference in New Delhi in November , India 's home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde described the rebels as a `` major threat '' to national security . At least 97 security personnel and as many guerrillas were killed in Maoist assaults last year , he said . The rebels , officials say , aim to seize power through an armed liberation struggle . Since the 1960s , the militants have said they are fighting for the dispossessed . Authorities suspect that Maoists enjoy support not only in the poorest areas and in tribal communities , but also among youth and intellectuals . In addition to targeting police , alleged police informers and people they call `` class enemies , '' the insurgents also attack infrastructure such as roads , bridges , railways , and power and telecommunication networks . In 2013 : Indian politician suffered brutal treatment in Maoist attack .
Morning attack targets a police security team . The victims include state and armed federal officials . India 's home minister describes the rebels as a `` major threat '' to national security .