Sheohar (Bihar), Oct 22 : Six policemen were killed late tonight as armed Maoists triggered a landmine blast blowing up a jeep on patrol in Bihar's Sheohar district two days before the second phase of assembly polls.
"The ultras detonated a landmine blast targeting a police patrol passing over a small culvert at Jhitkahi in which five policemen, including the SHO of Shyampur Bhatha police station Pravin Kumar Singh, were killed," Director General of Police Neelmani told PTI.
"Among those killed are four Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel and the driver of the jeep," he said.
Another SAP jawan injured in the landmine blast was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Additional Director General of Police P K Thakur said the incident took place when the police team was returning after a visit to a nearby CRPF camp.
He said the weapons of the dead policemen were, however, not taken by the Maoists.
A Special Task Force of Bihar police and CRPF personnel have cordoned off the area and intensified the combing operation against the Naxalites in a Maoist-hit area, Neelmani said.
This is the first prepoll violence perpetrated by Maoists, who have given call for boycott of elections in Bihar, after the first phase of poll held yesterday had passed off by and large peacefully. PTI
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