Maoists shoot dead five policemen in Seraikela-Kharsawan

CPI (Maoist) gunmen shot dead five police personnel at Kukdu Bazar, under the Tiruldih police station limits in Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Friday evening.

The Maoists also took away the weapons of the slain police personnel and successfully fled after killing them. The incident took place during the weekly market at Kukdu, on the borders of Chandil block of Seraikela-Kharsawan district in Jharkhand and Balrampur block of Purulia district in West Bengal.

“Maoists killed four of our jawans in Kukdu this evening. The attackers rode on two motorcycles and shot the police personnel when they were patrolling. We reached the spot and immediately brought in additional forces. The looting of weapons of the slain policemen indicates that it is the handiwork of Maoists. We are trying to ascertain the Maoist squad involved in the gruesome killings,” said Chandan Sinha, Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police (SP).

Seraikela sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Avinash Kumar also reached the spot with additional forces. Sources said two of the slain police personnel were assistant sub-inspectors, while two others were constables. The identity of another person killed in the incident could not be ascertained yet. The driver of the patrolling vehicle was also missing initially after the incident, but has now returned to the Tiruldih police station.

Chief minister Raghubar Das strongly condemned the incident and said the attack symbolises the desperation of the Maoists, who are on verge of being wiped out from the state. “The government is firmly with the family of the policemen killed in the incident. This is an act of desperation and the government would continue with its firm action against the banned organisation.” the CM said.

Earlier on May 28, at least 26 security personnel of the central police force and the state police were injured after Maoists triggered a series of IED blasts in Rai Sindri hills under Kuchai police station limits of the district. There have been a series of encounters between Maoists and security forces in Sonua in West Singhbhum and Kuchai in Seraikela-Kharsawan districts since last year.

A Maoist squad led by Anal-da alias Patiram Majhi, who is a member of the Bihar-Jharkhand special area committee (SAC) and also in-charge of Sambalpur, Devgarh and Sundergarh in Odisha, has been active in Saranda forests since June 5. Another Maoist squad led by Maharaj Pramanik was also active in the area for quite sometime and is reportedly giving cover to the Anal-da led squad.

The special branch has been sending inputs to the Ranchi headquarters that Anal-da was moving with a 20-member squad. Carrying an award of Rs 25 lakh on his head, Anal-da was recently promoted to the Maoist central committee, with the responsibility of regrouping and reviving Maoist organisations in West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan.