Eight killed, two injured in Maoist encounter in south Bihar

Gaya, Aug 21 (UNI) At least eight people, including six Special Auxiliary Police(SAP) personnel, were killed and two others injured in an encounter with the Maoist guerrillas near Raniganj Bazar in this extremist-dominated south Bihar district today.

District Superintendent of Police Paresh Saxena said while four SAP jawans died on the spot, two more succumbed to their injuries later in the district hospital here.

The condition of two other injured jawans was also stated to be serious, he stated.

One Maoist guerrilla and a passer-by, who was caught in the crossfire, were also killed in the fierce gunbattle, Mr Saxena added.

He said the encounter, which continued for nearly half an hour, started when the heavily armed extremists swooped down on a jeep carrying the SAP jawans near a secluded spot, killing four personnel on the spot and injuring as many others.

Before fleeing the insurgents also looted five self-loading rifles(SLRs) and several rounds of ammunition from the deceased jawans.

Soon a huge contingent of armed police arrived the spot and cordoned off the entire area to trace the guerillas. But none could be arrested so far though a motorcycle left by the miscreants had been seized.

Meanwhile, the district border had also been sealed to intensify the search operation.

Today's incident was one of the most violent encounters with the underground outfit in the state in recent times.

Though a police camp had been set up in the area to instil confidence among the people, all shops and other business establishments in the area downed their shutters immediately after the incident.

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