Ex-BJP MLA escapes Maoist attack; one bodyguard killed, another missing

The attack happened in Jhinaruan village when the former legislator was visiting the place to attend a football match as a guest, police said.

Former BJP legislator from Manoharpur, Gurucharan Nayak, on Tuesday narrowly escaped a Maoist attack but the red ultras reportedly killed two of his three official bodyguards and managed to loot their arms in the ambush after dusk under Goilkera police station in West Singhbhum district.

The DGP said extra forces have been deployed at the incident spot and the body of the jawan was yet to be recovered. (Representational image/PTI)

The attack happened in Jhinaruan village when the former legislator was visiting the place to attend a football match as a guest, police said.

While Nayak managed to flee the spot along with one of his three bodyguards and reached Goilkera police station to report the matter, the two other bodyguards were reportedly killed by the ultras and their arms snatched.

“As per the latest confirmed information, one Jharkhand police jawan with the former MLA has been killed. Another bodyguard is missing while the third managed to escape along with the legislator. One AK-47 and two Insas rifles were looted by the attackers from the three guards,” said Neeraj Sinha, director-general, Jharkhand Police.

The DGP said extra forces have been deployed at the incident spot and the body of the jawan was yet to be recovered.

While Nayak could not be contacted for his comment, the DGP said the former legislator had not informed local police despite his late movement in the area.

Nayak had a similar narrow escape when he was attacked by Maoists in the Anandpur police station area in the district in 2012.