Failure to get CRPF reinforcements on time led to the killing of seven Bihar policemen by Maoists in Lakhisarai district on Sunday. Their bodies were recovered on Monday, the police said.
This was the second Maoist strike on Sunday. In south Chhattisgarh, five securitymen were killed in
an ambush by the rebels.
The Bihar incident, in which nine policemen were also injured, took place 160 km southeast of Patna. Four securitymen are missing, officials said.
Munger Divisional Commis-sioner Lalan Prasad said: "A CRPF unit has been rushed to the Sheetalkorasi hills to secure the bodies of the seven policemen killed in the encounter and find the missing policemen."
The policemen had been assured a CRPF team would follow them and join the combing operation. However, due to reasons not known, the CRPF team could not join the policemen, who were caught in a trap laid by the Maoists.
The policemen ran out of bullets when the encounter was at its peak. The ultras decamped with 35 rifles.