Eight policemen were killed and 10 others injured during a fierce encounter with Maoists, who decamped with 35 rifles of the security personnel in Lakhisarai district of Bihar, a senior police official said on Monday.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a probe into the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the policemen who lost their lives, and Rs 50,000 to 2 lakhs to the injured.
Ten other security personnel went missing after the encounter and a helicopter has been pressed into service to locate them.
The Maoists opened fire at a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force, Bihar Military Police and State Auxiliary Police personnel combing Ramtalnagar village in the district on Sunday, Inspector General (Operation) K S Dwivedi told PTI over phone from the spot.
The security forces retaliated. Three BMP personnel and two policemen were killed in the encounter though their bodies were yet to be recovered due to the difficult, hilly terrain, Dwivedi said.
The Maoists took away 35 rifles and several magazines from the security personnel, he said.
"Three sub-inspectors, two havaldars and five constables have not returned to their base camp after the encounter," Director General of Police Neelmani said in Patna.
Many Maoists were believed to have been injured in the encounter, but were dragged away by colleagues, Dwivedi said.
Ten BMP and SAP personnel were injured in the encounter. Seven of them were admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital where their condition was stated to be out of danger, officials said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited the injured security personnel in Patna Medical College, and inquired about their condition. He urged the doctors to provide the best possible treatment to the injured.
Meanwhile, Tariyani Block Development Officer Manoj Singh, his driver and a health department employee who were kidnapped by Maoists from Ladhoura village were yet to be traced, Neelmani said.
A police team led by IG (Muzaffarpur) Gupteshwar Pandey was searching for them, he said. Maoists on motorcycles had intercepted the BDO's vehicle and took him, his driver and a public health centre employee away, he said.
A report from Gaya district said a road construction mixing plant was bombed by the Maoists at Mufassil police station area on Sunday night.
With inputs from PTI
