Maoist landmine blast in Bihar kills 8

Eight persons, including six Bihar policemen, were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Gaya district of south-central Bihar, early Friday afternoon.

Eight persons, including six Bihar policemen, were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Gaya district of south-central Bihar, early Friday afternoon.

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This is the second such incident in Gaya during the past five months. On October 18, 2012, six CRPF men were killed and eight injured in landmine blasts and a gun battle between cops and Maoists near Barha village under Dumaria police station.

Friday’s blast occurred around 12.30 pm, barely one and a half kilometres away from the Roshanganj police station, when a vehicle carrying the policemen and two villagers was returning from Balasot village, said Sherghati deputy superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar. Maoists also fired at the police party after the blast, he added.

The police had gone there to provide security cover to a function organised for recruitment of ‘anganwadi’ workers, said Gaya city SP Akhtar Hussain. “The explosives had been laid under a sewage pipe,” he added.

The vehicle was blown to pieces and all eight on board, including an ASI and the driver, died on the spot, said Hussain, who visited the blast site with Gaya SSP Vinay Kumar and other officials.

CRPF jawans and Gaya police launched a massive combing operation in the area after the incident, said Hussain.