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Bihar minister survives, 4 cops killed in Naxal attack

Soroor Ahmed in Patna

Bihar's Higher Education Minister Dr Saba Ahmed survived but four policemen accompanying him died when some men, believed to be Maoist Communist Centre extremists, attacked him after a football match in Kendua Tar village under Tundi block of Dhanbad district on Sunday evening.

The village is 40 km from the district headquarters of Dhanbad.

Four other persons suffered injuries. It could not be immediately ascertained whether the injured were policemen, extremists or spectators.

The extremists fled with three rifles, one sten-gun and two revolvers.

Dhanbad will be part of the proposed new state of Jharkhand. Dr Ahmed represents Tundi in the Bihar assembly.

This is the fourth major attack on a police party and the first such incident involving a minister in the south Bihar region in the last few days.

On October 4, Lohardagga Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar Singh was killed by suspected extremists. A day latter they blew up a police vehicle, seriously injuring six policemen, in Giridih district. A week later, three Railway Protection Force personnel were killed in an attack on two trains in Dhanbad district. The extremists made off with their rifles.

According to Dr Ahmed, the extremists, who numbered about 30, were part of the crowd watching the match. They began shooting towards the fag end of the prize distribution function, firing about 200 rounds and throwing bombs before fleeing into the jungles nearby. The minister was the chief guest at the function.

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