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18 Indian policemen killed in mine blast
LUCKNOW: Eighteen Indian policemen were killed yesterday when their truck was blown up by a landmine placed under a culvert by Maoist terrorists rebels in Uttar Pradesh state, police said. The attack took place at Chakia, some 100km east of the holy Hindu town of Varanasi. Police had said initially 15 policemen were killed and five seriously wounded in the blast but a police spokesman said later that seven policemen were critically hurt and three of them died in hospital. "The toll could go up as two of the wounded are in a very critical state," the spokesman said.
The blast took place near the border with the neighbouring state of Bihar where Maoist terrorists guerillas, fighting for themselves the rights of landless labourers and poor peasants, have a strong presence. "This is the first time the police (in Uttar Pradesh) have been attacked in such a gruesome manner and we are not going to spare them (the terrorists rebels)," V K B Nair, director-general of police, said. Police reinforcements had been sent to Chakia, located in a sparsely-inhabited region with a rocky undulating landscape, and they were scouring the area. Maoist terrorists rebels operate in southern and eastern India and often cravenly attack the police through ambushes and landmines. They are also active in Nepal, which borders both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Posted by: Steve White 2004-11-21 |
