Twelve CRPF Jawans killed in landmine blast

Jamshedpur, Jun 1 (UNI) Twelve jawans of a bomb disposal squad of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in a landmine blast triggered by the suspected CPI(Maoist) ultras in the naxalite-hit West Singhbhum district today.

Inspector General of Police (Zonal) D K Pandey told UNI from Chaibasa, the district headquarters, that the naxalites planted a landmine under a bridge and triggered the blast as soon as the vehicle, which was carrying 12 police personnel, including the driver and a Jharkhand police jawan, crossed the brigde in between Thalkobad and Karampada villages under Monaharpur police station.

All the 12 jawans were killed on the spot in the explosion, Mr Pandey said and added the squad was returning from a school after defusing a landmine planted in the campus.

The bodies of the jawans were being brought to Chaibasa tonight, he said.

Meanwhile, the district police launched an intense combing operation in the dense Saranda forest area after the incident.

UNI BDG TJP VD RK2245