Policeman killed in naxal blast in Gadchiroli

Nagpur, Oct 12 (UNI) A policeman was killed and another injured in a landmine blast triggered by suspected naxalites in Gadchiroli district in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra today.

According to the police, a group of naxalites, lying in wait, triggered the blast as a vehicle carrying personnel passed over the landmine planted under a road near village Todsa in Etapalli tehsil in the district this morning.

The vehicle was thrown over 30 feet into the air as a result of the blast. Constable Tejram Kusare sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot, while Raghunath Baguji Darro sustained injuries, a police press release said.

The naxalites opened fire immediately after the blast, which was retaliated by the police. The exchange continued for a while, before the outlaws escaped into the jungle, it said..

In another incident, the police and suspected naxalites exchanged fire in the forest near village Badur in Kurkheda tehsil of the district today.

A patrol party came upon a group of naxalites and people from the village in a nearby forest during a combing operation, a police press release said.

Spotting the police, the naxalites opened fire, which was returned. The outlaws later fled into the jungle. The police seized 1 gun, 2 hand grenades, 200 feet of wire, 1 detonator, 1 camera flash, 3 bags, water bottles, footwear, cloth, pain, 2 radio sets, 16 books in Gondi and Hindi languages, 1 saline bottle, a duty chart and other material from the spot, the release said.

The police have also rounded up 14 persons from the spot, including 2 from village Badur and 2 from Chhattisgarh, for questioning, it added.

UNI