Maoists attack police station in Jhar

Maoists fired indiscriminately at a police station in Giridih, blew up a building and set on fire trucks on the Grand Trunk road in the wee hours on Thursday to protest the arrest of their two associates. A group of armed Maoists attacked the Pirtand Police station around 0100 hrs and started firing at random, Superintendent of Police, A V Homker, said.

The security forces returned the fire, he said, adding that there were no casualties. A couple of blasts

were also heard nearby as Maoists destroyed a government building near the police station, he said. Later, the ultras torched some trucks on the G T Road on the Dhanbad-Giridih border.

The police said the Maoists were protesting the arrests of two of their hardcore associates, Muktar Ansari and Dasrath Manjhi in Giridih on Wednesday. In stepped up anti-Naxal operations, police have apprehended several Maoists across the state while about ten ultras have surrendered since July.