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| India-Pakistan |
| Land Mine Explodes in India, 20 Die |
| 2002-11-18 |
| A land mine exploded under a passenger bus Monday as it traveled through a dense forest in southern India, killing at least 20 people, police said. The bus was completely destroyed in the attack, about 125 miles north of Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh state. After the blast, the attackers opened fire on the flaming wreckage, apparently mistaking it for a police transport, said Gautam Swang, deputy inspector-general of the district police. It wasn't who you think it was. He said the bus was carrying more than 40 passengers and that at least 20 had been killed. The survivors, including many critically injured, were taken to the nearest village, but there was no doctor there to treat them, he said. Swang blamed the leftist People's War Group, which mostly targets rich landowners, police and government officials. The group claims to be inspired by the communist ideology of Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. After all these years, you would think people would have figured out Mao was wrong. Police had been patrolling the forest area Monday after exchanging fire with the rebels over the weekend. At least five of the rebels were killed Sunday. The People's War Group is fighting for an independent homeland in five southern Indian states. More than 6,000 people have died in the fighting since in 1981. Another war no one in the west hears about. The thick forest where the bus blast occurred is dotted with hamlets and small villages. The rebels are able to hide and regroup easily there, but Swanga said the latest attack could turn local supporters against them. They missed that page in Mao's little red book about hiding in the sea of people. When you start killing the people hiding you, your support base turns on you. |
| Posted by:Steve |