Maoists strike again: SP, 5 policemen killed in J’hand
3 July 2013 5:29 AM IST
In one of the major strikes by Maoists in Jharkhand, a superintendent of police and five policemen were killed in an ambush in Dumka district on Tuesday. ‘Pakur’s Superintendent of Police Amarjit Balihar and five policemen were killed in an ambush by Maoist guerrillas,’ Jharkhand Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar said.
The attack took place in a jungle stretch between Kathikund and Gopikanar in Dumka, around 350 km from Ranchi, while Balihar’s convoy was passing the spot. The guerrillas, lying in wait, first triggered a landmine blast and later fired indiscriminately on the convoy. Balihar died on the spot.
Balihar, who came to Dumka to attend a meeting, was returning home when he was attacked. He was not from the Indian Police Service (IPS) but had been promoted recently due to his good service record.
A few police personnel have been also injured and have been taken to the hospital. There is no confirmation on the number of Maoists involved in the attack. Two CRPF companies have been rushed to Pakur to track and hunt the alleged attackers.
Police sources say the Maoists were trying to execute a big incident like the recent attack in Chhattisgarh in which many Congress leaders and policemen were killed. This is not the first time such a high-ranking official has been killed by the leftist insurgents. In 2000, just before the creation of Jharkhand, Lohardagga Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar was killed by Maoists.
At least 200 central paramilitary personnel have been rushed to the spot to nab the extremists who were involved in the attack. A team of NIA sleuths is also expected to visit the spot even though they have not been given the probe officially yet.
On 25 May this year, Maoists had ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in the Sukma district of Chattisgarh.
The attack caused at least 27 deaths, including that of former state minister Mahendra Karma and the Chattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel. Vidya Charan Shukla, a senior Congress leader, also later succumbed to his injuries from the attack. NIA is currently probing this case and have hinted at the involvement of local Congress leaders in the attack.
The attack took place in a jungle stretch between Kathikund and Gopikanar in Dumka, around 350 km from Ranchi, while Balihar’s convoy was passing the spot. The guerrillas, lying in wait, first triggered a landmine blast and later fired indiscriminately on the convoy. Balihar died on the spot.
Balihar, who came to Dumka to attend a meeting, was returning home when he was attacked. He was not from the Indian Police Service (IPS) but had been promoted recently due to his good service record.
A few police personnel have been also injured and have been taken to the hospital. There is no confirmation on the number of Maoists involved in the attack. Two CRPF companies have been rushed to Pakur to track and hunt the alleged attackers.
Police sources say the Maoists were trying to execute a big incident like the recent attack in Chhattisgarh in which many Congress leaders and policemen were killed. This is not the first time such a high-ranking official has been killed by the leftist insurgents. In 2000, just before the creation of Jharkhand, Lohardagga Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar was killed by Maoists.
At least 200 central paramilitary personnel have been rushed to the spot to nab the extremists who were involved in the attack. A team of NIA sleuths is also expected to visit the spot even though they have not been given the probe officially yet.
On 25 May this year, Maoists had ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in the Sukma district of Chattisgarh.
The attack caused at least 27 deaths, including that of former state minister Mahendra Karma and the Chattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel. Vidya Charan Shukla, a senior Congress leader, also later succumbed to his injuries from the attack. NIA is currently probing this case and have hinted at the involvement of local Congress leaders in the attack.
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