Bihar: Maoists kill 10

Rohtas, July 01: In one of the bloodiest attacks in recent times Maoist guerillas in Bihar gunned down ten people, including seven policemen and injured nine, besides looting arms and destroying a police station and an outpost in the district early today.

Official sources quoting District Superintendent of Police N S Khan said more than 200 armed guerillas simultaneously attacked Rajpur police station and Baghela police out post, about 50 km from here, at midnight and asked the policemen to surrender their arms.

Atwo-hour long gun battle between the police and ultras killed seven policemen, one night guard and three villagers. Nine others, including six policemen were also injured.

An estimated 500 rounds were fired by both the police and the guerillas till 0230 hours, the sources said.

However, the total casualty from both the sides was not yet known, the sources said adding that while escaping under the cover of darkness the ultras took away as many as 18 rifles and several rounds of live cartridges from the police station. They also damaged the police station and outpost by lobbing several bombs.

Reports of mine blasts in the area also poured in.

Later on being informed a stong posse of armed police from the district headquarters, led by the SP, rushed to the spot and launched a massive combing operation to nab the culprits but no one was arrested so far.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police Preeti Verma had also rushed to the area.

Meanwhile, all the injured had been admitted to different hospitals in critical condition, the sources said.

Incidentally, this was one of the 'bloodiest' pre-planned attacks carried out by the Naxalite guerillas in Bihar in recent times.

The attack came barely two days after the 48-hour economic blockade by the ultras in four states, including Jharkhand, Orissa and Chattisgarh.

UNI

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