5 CRPF jawans killed in landmine blast

By Our Staff Reporter

RAJAHMUNDRY, SEPT. 9. Five jawans of the CRPF were killed on the spot and 10 others, including two Circle Inspectors and a Sub- Inspector, sustained minor injuries, in what seemed to be a meticulously planned operation of landmine blast, triggered by the People's War Group (PWG), at a culvert near Sunnampadu village between Rampachodavarm and Maredumilli in East Godavari district, about 70 km from here on Sunday.

The dead, belonging to 35 Battalion of the CRPF, were identified as Ramakrishna Behra, B. K. Sahu, Heera Singh, all from Orissa, and S. Ansari and Suresh Yadav, both from Bihar. Mr. Easwarudu, SI, and Mr. Murali Krishna, CI of Addateegala Police Station, and Mr. Rawat, CI of CRPF, were among the injured. The Allwyn Nissan van, carrying 20 police personnel and belonging to private party, was mangled. The van was going from Addateegala to Maredumilli.

The bodies were brought to the hospital in Rajahmundry for post- mortem. The injured were given first aid at Rampachodavaram and sent to Kakinada for further treatment. Soon after the blast, there was an exchange of fire between the police and PWG militants but no casualties were reported. Mr. Dayaram CI of the CRPF, who had escaped in the blast, said: ``but for the use of weapons including AK-47 by us, there would have been more casualties on our side because of firing from the rivals.''

The 30-km stretch between Maredumilli and Rampachodavaram is considered a `safe zone' when compared to other parts in the area. So, only the PWG could have arranged the blast as a `decoy' and the CRPF party fell into the trap. The thick growth of forest on both sides of the road at the spot helped the PWG militants hide and trigger the blast at correct time.

According to the police, the CRPF party was going to Meredumilli to assist the local police in retrieving a `hijacked' RTC bus. Last night, the PWG members hijacked an RTC bus running between Gokavaram and Ukkaluru. They asked the passengers to get down and took away the bus along with the driver, Mr. R.S. Rao, and conductor, Mr. B. S. Narayana. On the SR of the conductor, it was written: ``we need the bus for some time. After the work is over, it would be sent back to the RTC.''

According to the bus driver, the PWG members, came to Maredumilli in the bus last night, stopped it on the outskirts and went back. They carried a bag full of materials with them. According to one version, the PWG members went to attack the Maredumilli police station but seeing policemen in strength there, they had decided against the operation.

The driver and the conductor were let off in the morning and it was after receiving information from the them that a search for the hijacked bus was planned. The blast occurred around 12 noon. According to RTC officials, the hijacked bus was abandoned in Pothavaram village, which is located about 30 km deep from Ukkaluru. The Superintendent of Police, Mr. A. B. Venkateswara Rao, and other senior police officials rushed to the spot.

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Section  : Southern States
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