2 policemen killed, 29 injured in explosion

Kolkata/Lalgarh, Sept 21: Two police constables were killed and 29 others, including 19 policemen and seven mediamen, injured in a massive explosion in the Maoist-affected West Midnapore district today.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the blast occurred when a police team was trying to defuse an explosive device in Jhitka forest near Lalgarh.

He said three police vechicle drivers were also injured in the blast.

The injured policemen included two high ranking officials - Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations) Sumit Chaturvedi and Deputy Superintendent of Police(Operations) Shyam Singh. Those killed were CID constables Utpal Bhakat and Basudeb Chakraborty, Mr Bhattacharjee said.

Describing the incident as 'very unfortunate' the Chief Minister said acting on an information that an explosive device was lying beside an uprooted tree in the Jhitka forest area, a bomb disposal squad of the police arrived the spot.

The device went off when attempt was being made to open up a stainless steel container in which the explosive was stuffed.

He said the condition of Mr Someswar Mondal, a photographer of Ananda Bazar Patrika, was critical. However, he was out of danger after undergoing an operation.

All the injured had been rushed to Midnapore Medical Collage and Hospital and a local nursing home.

The Chief Minister said the Director General of Police, high ranking CID officials and a team of explosive experts had rushed to the spot to inquire the incident.

To a question, the Chief Minister said the members of the bomb squad, who tried to handle the explosive device, had the experience of dealing with similar situation in the past. It was now being probed how the blast took place, he added.

Besides Mr Mandal, cameramen of Bengal news channels 'ETV' and 'Chobbish Ghanta' respectively Muzaffar and Sanjiv Das, and Debbnath Maity and Arun Chakraborty of vernacular dailies 'Bartaman' and 'Sambad Pratidin' respectively bore the brunt of the explosion.

Incidentally, the Maoists had given a bandh call in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts.

A large contingent of police had been deployed in the area and combing operation was going on, Inspector General of Police(Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said.

People in the neighbouring villages of Lalgarh had been asked not to venture out of their houses during the combing process. They had also been asked not to touch any suspicious article.

SP, West Midnapore, R Rajshekharan, who rushed to the spot, said an inquiry had been started into the incident.

Eds: Here pick up suitably from arlier series.

UNI