Landmine attack kills seven policemen in Jharkhand

Gumla (Jharkhand), Jan 16 (ANI): In yet another attack on security forces the Maoists elements triggered a landmine blast in Jharkhand's Gumla district and killed eight people including seven police personnel.

On Friday late evening, the Red rebels blew up a truck in which police personnel were travelling.

According to Jharkhand police, one officer, five constables, a driver and a civilian were killed in the attack.

Gumla Superintendent of Police Subodh Prasad said:"Seven police personnel including one officer named Shyam Kishore Singh were killed. The truck driver Rustam Ansari was also killed in the attack."

On April 16 , 2009 in a similar attack the Naxalites blew up a Border Security Force (BSF) bus ferrying personnel from Ladhup to Arah at a place about 125 kilometres from capital Ranchi in Latehar District, killing nine - seven BSF personnel, one helper and the civilian driver of the bus.

The Naxalites carried out at least 16 landmine attacks to hamper the movement of the security forces in 2009.

Meanwhile, the security forces have launched a massive search operation for nabbing Maoists elements.

In 2009, Jharkhand witnessed a total of 215 people were killed in as many as 381 incidents of Naxal violence.

Jharkhand is ranked second only to Chhattisgarh among the states worst affected by Left wing extremism. (ANI)