Naxal blast claims 12 in Maharashtra

Nagpur, May 16 : Twelve people, including three women and two children of a wedding party, were killed when naxalites triggered a landmine blast between Halewara and Petha villages in Gadchiroli district early this morning.

The blast occurred when the wedding party was returning home after attending the ceremony in Sundarnagar village in Mulchera Tehsil of Gadchiroli district, Superintendent of Police Shirish Jain said.

Members of the marriage party were travelling in four vehicles when the blast occurred around 0430 hrs, destroying a vehicle in the convoy. A police party and a medical team have been rushed to the spot.

The deceased have been identified as - Subrat Amulyakumar Roy (43), Amit Khagendranath Roy (28), Sachin Gyanendra Hajari (35), Arun Praful Sardar (43), Sukhdeo Kanhaiyya Mistri (40), Harinand Naresh Sarkar (55), Mamata Vishwanath Badhai (45), Sushila Vishwanath Badhai (12), Chanchala Niranjan Roy (15), Neeta Karmarkar (43), and Babbar, driver of the vehicle.

A woman from Sundarnagar village, who was also travelling in the vehicle, has not yet been identified, police said.

UNI