Raipur, Aug 26 - Sending a strong message to security personnel reluctant to battle Maoist guerrillas, the Chhattisgarh government Wednesday dismissed 13 constables after they refused to go to Rajnandgaon district where 29 of their colleagues had been killed last month.

'We can't tolerate indiscipline. The 13 cops had openly refused to go to Madanwara in Rajnandgaon district where Maoists had killed 29 policemen in coordinated attacks July 12. We also lost a brave SP (superintendent of police),' Inspector General of Police R.K. Vij told IANS.

The 13 policemen of constable rank had recently completed a specialised training course at the Counter-Insurgency Training and Jungle Warfare College (CTJWC) in Bastar region's Kanker town.

The college had been set up by the state government in 2005 to provide training to policemen to 'fight a guerrilla like a guerrilla'.