india

Updated: Jun 14, 2019 21:21 IST

Suspected Maoists shot dead five policemen at a weekly market in Seraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand and looted their weapons on Friday evening, police said.

The attack took place near Jharkhand’s border with Balrampur block of West Bengal’s Purulia district.

Chandan Sinha, the district police chief said the attackers were on two motorcycles and opened fire at the policemen who were on patrol. “We have reached the spot and brought in additional forces. The looting of arms and weapons indicate that it is handiwork of Maoists, we are trying to ascertain the Maoist squad involved in the gruesome killings,” Sinha, Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police (SP), said.

Seraikela sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Avinash Kumar had also reached the spot of crime with additional forces.

Sources said two of the five policemen were assistant sub-inspector.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das condemned the attack that he said, symbolizes desperation on part of 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 organization,” Das added.

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

A Maoist squad led by Anal-da alias Patiram Majhi, who is member of Bihar-Jharkhand special area committee (SAC) and also in-charge of Sambalpur, Devgarh and Sundergarh in Odisha, have been active in Saranda forests under West Singhbhum district and Seraikela-Kharsawan district since June 5.

Another Maoist squad led by Maharaj Pramanik was also active in the area for quite some time now and reportedly giving cover to Anmol-da led squad.

Special Branch has also been sending inputs to Ranchi headquarters that Anal-da was moving with 20-member squad which also comprised women Naxal Rekha and Darshan Hansda. Carrying and award of Rs 25 lakh on his head, Anal-da was recently promoted to Maoist central committee with the responsibility of regrouping and revving Maoist organisations in West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan.

West Singhbhum police had attached the properties of Maoist commander Patiram Majhi alias Anmol-da alias Samar-da in his parental village under Nawadih Block in Bermo on June 11. Intelligence sources said Anmol-da was camping in the forests of Kuchai under Seraikela-Kharsawan district frequently. He is believed to be an expert in serial land mine explosions.