Maoists on a killing spree in Orissa and Jharkhand

Ranchi, Jun 22 (UNI) The Maoists went on a rampage in Orissa and Jharkhand, killing five people, including two policemen, blasting a goods train engine and torching the Station Master's office during the past 24 hours.

Police said the CPI(Maoist) ultras ambushed a police vehicle, killing two policemen, including an ASI, and getting their arrested accomplice released in Jharkhand's Gumla district bordering Chattisgarh last night.

The incident took place under Raideeh police station, about 60 km from Dumka headquarters near Chattisgarh.

Superintendent of Police J D H Guddia told UNI here over phone from Gumla that some ultras hiding near Karmaghat on NH 47 attacked the police team, which was bringing one suspected naxal in the police van from Chainpur to Raideeh.

The ultras pumped bullets indiscriminatly, killing ASI Christopher Minz and constable Ramuday Mahto on the spot.

The police retaliation proved too feeble before the ultras' organised attack and the latter managed to escape unhurt after successfully getting their accomplice released.

In Orissa, armed Maoists hacked to death three people and injured as many at Ranigola village, about 60 km from Deogarh, late last night.

Nearly ten armed Maoists raided the village in the night, broke the doors of three houses, dragged the villagers on the street and hacked them to death.

All the injured had been shifted to Deogarh Hospital.

In another incident in the state today, the Maoists blasted an engine of a goods train at Daliput, ransacked the Station Master's office and later set it ablaze.

Police said the Maoists stopped the goods train and the asked the driver to get down from the train.

They then snatched away the VHP set and a mobile from the driver and planted a bomb in the engine room.

The bomb later exploded causing extensive damage to the engine.

The Maoists then went to the Station Master's room, ransacked it, torched the office and fled from the scene.

Senior Police officials had rushed to the sites and launched combing operation in the area after the incident.

UNI