PATNA: Maoist rebels set off a land mine in central India on Monday, killing at least four policemen and injuring seven others, police said.
The rebels, who claim to be inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, targeted an anti-land mine vehicle carrying 11 troops, top local police officer R.K. Vij told reporters. The ambushed policemen were patrolling in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state to provide security for a government road project.
Monday’s attack is the fourth in the last three days, raises the number of killed policemen to 12.
On Saturday seven security officials were killed in nearby Sukma district when rebels opened fire on patrolling troops.
In two separate attacks one soldier was shot to death and several mining vehicles set on fire on Sunday.
Few details were available about Monday’s attack because the massive explosion also destroyed the local cell phone tower, Sunita Sahu, an official at the Dantewada police control room, said. Those wounded in the attack have been airlifted to a hospital in the state capital of Raipur.
The area is some 385 km south of Raipur.
The rebels have been called India’s biggest internal security threat, operating in 20 of India’s 28 states with thousands of fighters. They’ve been fighting for over three decades to demand the poor receive more jobs and a greater share of wealth from natural resources. (Arab News)
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