By IANS
Patna : A Bihar village remained tense Thursday after an encounter between para-military personnel and Maoists late Wednesday night that left four people dead, including three security men.
“Fear and tension have gripped the villagers after an encounter in which three CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) men, including assistant commandant B.K. Kapil, and a Maoist were killed,” Sunil Kumar, superintendent of police, East Champaran, said.
Maoists also reportedly abducted two youths from the Kadma village in East Champaran district and were still holding them hostage.
Inspector General (Operations) S.K. Bharadwaj and District Magistrate of East Champaran Jeevan Kumar reached the spot late Wednesday night, Kumar said.
The encounter occurred when a joint team of the state police and the CRPF conducted a raid following a tip-off that an armed squad of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) was present at Lakhminia village in the Sheohar district, he said.
Meanwhile, the state police along with the Special Task Force and the Special Auxiliary Police have launched combing operations in the districts bordering Nepal.
The police suspect over 50 armed Maoists took part in the encounter and retreated after killing the three CRPF men.