Patrolling magistrate killed in Jharkhand

A patrolling magistrate was killed when suspected extremists opened fire near a booth in Dhanbad on Tuesday.

A patrolling magistrate was killed and seven persons, including four policemen, injured in separate incidents in Dhanbad and Giridih districts of Jharkhand on Tuesday.

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Ajay Kumar, a doctor at Patliputra Medical College and deputed as patrolling magistrate, was killed when suspected extremists first exploded landmine and then opened fire near booth number one between the adjoining villages of Palma and Dharampur in Dhanbad, the police said.

They said Kumar was patrolling near the booth along with policemen on foot when the suspected ultras triggered a landmine and started firing. An encounter followed which is still continuing. Kumar died on the spot, while four policemen were injured.

In Giridih, at least three BJP activists were injured in a bomb explosion at Hariharpur late last night, the police said adding two landmines had also been recovered at Narainpur.

The police had averted a major disaster on Monday when they discovered and defused a 50 kg time bomb planted beneath a road bridge on Jamua river in the same district.

In Hazaribag, the supporters of BJP and the CPI today clashed near a booth at Ramgarh, the police said.

In another incident at Lupung, a clash broke out among the voters standing in a queue.

However, there was no injury in both the incidents.