CISF sub-inspector among 6 killed in naxal attack

Bokaro, Apr 7 (UNI) Six people, including two CISF personnel, were killed and five constables injured, when nearly 400 CPI (Maoist) ultras attack a CISF camp at a CCL project 50 km from here, police today said.

In an operation carried out last night the maoists also detonated many landmines to trigger panic in adjacent areas killing four civilians--an employee of a nearby petrol pump and three truckers.

The gun battle with the CISF men continued for nearly four hours till midnight.

Of the five injured, the condition of one was stated to be critical. The naxals attacked the Central Industrial Security Force barrack, meant for the Khasmahal project of the Central Coalfields Limited under the Gandhi Nagar police station in Bokaro district, SDPO, Aswini Kumar today said.

''Capt Boipai (sub-inspector) and constable Hushiyar Singh were killed on the spot,'' he said.

The naxals struck at the place which has two police stations nearby--Gandhi Nagar and BTPS. They damaged a bus meant for carrying the CISF staff besides exploding a bomb at a culvert connecting a road leading to the site.

The attackers, comprising women cadres, split into groups. While two units were engaged in preventing the police from reaching the spot, the third launched the main assualt on the barrack in which 36 CISF personnel of the total 40 were staying.

The ultras looted four SLRs from the camp.

Additional forces from Bokaro reached the spot by midnight but the ultras managed to escape under the cover of darkness into a jungle after firing thousands of rounds. The security forces retaliated with 694 rounds.

Intensive operation could not be carried out immediately as the rebels had planted landmines in the area, police said adding a search was on to nab them and unearth the live mines.

UNI