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Six cops, civilian killed in Bihar landmine blast

Naxalites of the People's War Group (PWG) had placed the landmine, he added.

Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Saturday night announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs one million to the next of kin of the policemen killed.

The government would also provide a job to an eligible member of the bereaved family, the chief minister said and directed top police officials to launch a manhunt to nab the culprits.

The incident occurred when a police team rushed to Duttmai village near Jagpura village around 0200 hours (IST) on receiving information about firing by Naxalites, Additional Director General of Police (Patna Zone) Ashish Ranjan said.

The information turned out to be a ruse and the ultras triggered off the landmine blowing up the police jeep and killing seven persons, he told PTI before leaving for the spot.

Among those killed were the officer in-charge of Dhanarua police station Subhash Kumar Suman, Assistant Sub-inspector Babulal Soren, four constables and the driver of their vehicle, Ranjan said.

He said the area had been cordoned off and raids were on to apprehend the culprits.

The policemen killed in the blast are: Officer in-charge of Dhanarua police station Subhash Kumar Suman, Assistant Sub-Inspector Babulal Soren, constables Ranjit Kumar, Aniruddha Kumar, Uday Kumar, Sujit Kumar.

Meanwhile, another landmine planted under the road close to the site of the first blast was detected during the combing operation launched in Patna and adjoining Jehanabad district to apprehend the culprits, police said.

At least ten crude bombs were also recovered from the area.

Senior police and civil officials, including Ranjan, Patna District Magistrate Deepak Prasad and Senior Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar were camping at Jagpura to supervise the combing operations.

Chief Minister Rabri Devi pointed out that deployment of central paramilitary forces in the state was not adequate, and urged the Centre to make available 20 additional companies of central forces to check extremists' violence.

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