In an ambush, Maoists shot dead five policemen in Kurku market area in Saraikela district of Jharkhand and looted their weapons on Friday evening, police said.
The attack happened at around 6.30 pm while the police were patrolling the area, said ML Meena, ADG (Ops), Jharkhand.
Chandan Sinha, Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police (SP) said the attackers were on two motorcycles when they opened fire at the policemen who were on patrol. “We have reached the spot and brought in additional forces. The looting of arms and weapons indicate that it is handiwork of Maoists, we are trying to ascertain the Maoist squad involved in the gruesome killings,” he said.
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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das condemned the Maoist attack and said that the sacrifice of the policemen won’t go in vain.
Das added that the Naxals, who are counting their last days in the state, carried out the attack in anger. The morale of state government and the police department will not be distracted, he said, adding that the government will take strong and appropriate action in the case.
सरायकेला में हुए नक्सली हमले में शहीद जवानों की शहादत को नमन। दुख की इस घड़ी में समस्त झारखण्डवासी शहीदों के परिजनों के साथ हैं। हमारी सरकार नक्सलवाद को करारा जवाब दे रही है, हमारे जवानों की शहादत व्यर्थ नहीं जाएगी।
— Raghubar Das (@dasraghubar) June 14, 2019
The attack happened weeks after 13 personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police were injured in a series of IED blasts allegedly triggered by Maoists in the same area.