Naxal strike on Giridih camp leaves 7 dead

They set off a bomb,triggered a landmine and rained bullets on the personnel, killing six on the spot and injuring 20 others. They then entered the armoury and escaped with a huge cache of arms and ammunition — no less than 183 rifles, three revolvers and more than 3000 bullets in all.

While Vajay Mal and Mohammed Niaz were identified as civilians, four were policemen — HG’s Commander Kartik Pandey and three constables Mandhiran Tiwary, Sonaram Mandal and Bulchand Prasad.

The incident has prompted the state administration to deploy two companies of the CRPF and one company of the Jharkhand Armed Police at the HG camp, DGP V D Ram who was camping at the site, said. “We have alerted police stations across the state and launched raids to nab the ultras,” he said. But no arrest has been made.

A jawan of the HG, who witnessed the half-hour looting spree, said a training programme was on at the camp when the Naxalites struck. Around 300 jawans live in the camp’s barracks. “Dusk had descended and the jawans were returning to their barracks when the Naxalites arrived in three vehicles,” he said. “They used the microphone to warn personnel against moving. Then, they encircled the armoury and began to beat up the jawans with the butt of their guns. Since all of them were in khaki, we could not comprehend what was happening. They also fired indiscriminately.”

‘‘After looting the arms, they boarded the vehicles and moved out firing in the air,’’ said Ashok Goswami, HG’s Incharge(Training). ‘‘Even the women were wearing khaki salwar kameez and were carrying guns,’’ said another jawan.

In an apparent bid to sidetrack attention, the Naxalites also carried out a serial attack in Giridih. First, they triggered a landmine near the house of AICC member Sarfaraz Ahmed. They then opened fire on the policemen near the mofussil police station. Later, they set off a bomb.

Opposition leaders, including Congress state unit chief Pradeep Balmuchu, RJD’s legislature party leader Girinath Singh and JMM chief Shibu Soren slammed CM Arjun Munda for failing to counter the Naxalites.

“We demand imposition of President’s rule in the state,” Soren said in a statement. Soren, along with other leaders will also meet PM Manmohan Singh.