Suspected Maoist rebels have detonated a land mine, killing seven
policemen and injuring six others in eastern India, a top police
official said Thursday.
The policemen were returning from a search operation in Palamau district
of Jharkhand state when the land mine blew up their vehicle late
Wednesday.Four policemen died instantly while three others died in a
local hospital, said S. N. Pradhan, the police official.
The rebels have been fighting for more than three decades in central and
eastern India to demand a greater share of the region’s natural
resources for its indigenous peoples. They have been relatively quiet
over the past six months.
The rebels say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao
Zedong. The Indian government says the rebels are the country’s most
serious internal security threat. India’s home ministry says the rebels
are active in 20 of India’s 29 states