Maoists trigger landmine, six policemen injured

Baripda, May 10 (UNI) A day after the armed Maoists killed a forester of Sergada beat, six policemen including a Sub-Inspector were injured when today the rebels triggered a powerful landmine at Chadheipahar hills, close to Jharkhand border.

Police said the blast occurred when Sub-Inspector Manas De along with some Armed Police Reserve(APR) constables were proceeding on a jeep for combing operation of yesterday's killing.

The jeep carrying the officer and the securitymen was completely blown up by the impact of explosion, injuring Mr De, four APR constables and the driver of the vehicle.

Both Mr De and the driver were seriously injured and shifted to a hospital.

Incidentally, the place where the landmine exploded was close to the Sergada beat house where the Maoists yesterday gunned down forester Rabindra Kumar Patra and set ablaze the beat office.

Prior to the landmine explosion, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer and Circle Inspector of Gorumahisani Police station had fortunately crossed the place in a private vehicle.

Mayurbhanj Superintendent of Police Sanjaya Kumar Singh along with additional reinforcement rushed to the spot to launch search operation to flush out the Maoists from the area.

Officials said this was the first incident in Mayurbhanj district in which a forester was shot dead and five policemen were injured in the landmine explosion triggered by the Maoists.

UNI