Four cops killed in Naxal attack in Jharkhand’s Latehar district

"The ambush attack took the patrolling party from Chandwa Police Station by surprise. Two of them were home guards,” said a senior police officer.

Jharkhand attack, Jharkhand Naxal attack, Jharkhand Maoist attack, India news, Indian Express

Further investigation into the incident is underway. (Representational Image)

A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah credited Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das for “curbing Naxalism” in Jharkhand, four police personnel were killed in Chandwa, Latehaar district in an ambush attack. The attack comes a week before the first phase of elections.

Police said that the attack took place three kilometres from Chandwa police station at around 8.30 pm, when the police party was patrolling.

“The ambush attack took the patrolling party from Chandwa Police Station by surprise. Two of them were home guards,” said a senior police officer.

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DGP Kamal Nayan Choubey confirmed the attack. However, no arrests have been so far, said police.

Police said that the deceased have been identified as ASI Sukra Oraon, Yamuna Prasad, and two home guards Sambhu Prasad and Sikander Singh.

“A PCR van of the police was attacked…we are conducting raids in the direction of where the suspects ran away,” said ADG (Ops) ML Meena.

Jharkhand goes to poll on November 30 in 13 constituencies including Latehaar and will be conducted in five phases.

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Just after the Lok Sabha elections, five police officers were also killed in an ambush in Saraikela area.

According to Home Ministry data, 19 districts are LWE affected — Bokaro, Chatra, Dhanbad, Dumka, East Singhbhum, Garhwa, Giridih, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Koderma, Latehar, Lohardaga, Palamu, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Simdega, Saraikela-Kharaswan, West Singhbhum.

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