OUR BUREAU
Patna/Ranchi, Aug. 23: The sheer strength of numbers helped Maoists pull off the fatal attack on a patrol team in Jamui on Bihar-Jharkhand border last night, senior police officers have conceded.
Armed with rifles, bombs and sickles, more than 60 rebels ambushed a six-member Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) force near Sonobazaar, killing four, including assistant sub-inspector Abdul Kalam. A fifth jawan died in hospital today. The Nitish Kumar government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased SAP personnel.
The Bihar and Jharkhand police have mounted a joint operation in Jamui and its surrounding areas. The body of a Maoist, identified as Naresh Yadav, has been recovered from the spot, triggering speculation that the rebels, too, may have suffered heavy casualties. Read the rest of this entry »