By IANS,
Ranchi : Keeping up their attacks on security forces in Jharkhand, in which 24 policemen have been killed since Wednesday, Maoists Saturday ambushed a patrol in the state’s Khuti district, injuring three policemen in a landmine blast.
“Three policemen have been injured in a landmine blast near Rania block of Khuti district,” Ranchi range’s Deputy Inspector General of Police Raj Kumar Mallik told IANS.
The police squad was returning to the police checkpost after Long Range Patrolling (LRP), when the rebels triggered the landmine blast between Khuti and Rania road, around 70 km from Ranchi.
After the blast, the rebels also opened fire on the patrol. The police retaliated, leading to a gun-battle. The rebels then withdrew.
Maoists have killed 24 security personnel and injured around 28 people, including civilians, in four separate attacks since Wednesday.
Maoist rebels Wednesday ambushed a police team in West Singhbhum district, killing 11 security personnel. The rebels Friday attacked a State Bank of India branch and triggered a blast in Bokaro district, killing a total of 13 policemen in the two attacks.
Maoist guerrillas are active in 18 of the 24 districts of Jharkhand. Nearly 1,500 people have been killed in Maoist-related violence in the last eight years.