Six Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed and nine others injured in an ambush by Maoists of an anti-landmine vehicle, which was followed by an encounter in Bihar's Gaya district on Thursday.
The Maoists triggered an IED at 6:20 am blowing up an anti-landmine vehicle carrying about a dozen CRPF personnel of the 159th battalion at Chakarbanda forest near Barha village, CRPF DIG Umesh Kumar said.
Two CRPF personnel were killed on the spot and four died of their injuries in hospital, he said.
The driver of the vehicle Lalu Babu was among the victims. The other victims were sub-inspector Ramji Ram, constables Vikramaditya Yadav, Ashok Nirala, G D Raj Singh and Hanumant Singh Gurjar.
Four CRPF personnel who suffered injuries were evacuated to a private hospital by an IAF helicopter, Kumar said.
An encounter followed in the Chakarbanda forest after additional CRPF personnel were rushed in.
Four CRPF personnel were injured in the encounter and were admitted to the hospitals at Imamganj and Gaya, the CRPF DIG said.
Kumar said that operations against the Maoists would resume on Friday.
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