Naxals kill five cops near Nagpur

Five policemen were killed on the spot when a land mine, believed to have been planted by the People's War Group, blew up their jeep in the dense forest of Gadchiroli district in east Vidarbha on Thursday. A Naxalite leader, Shrikant Porpet, was killed elsewhere in the district.

Official sources said the jeep was part of a three-vehicle convoy of a special anti-Naxalite squad on routine patrol. The squad, led by head constable Pandu Alam, was patrolling the area around Khandi-Nainwadi village in Bhamragarh Taluka in Aheri division of Gadchiroli district.

The police had intensified patrolling to curb movement and infiltration of Naxalites from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Sources said it appeared to be a reprisal killing since Alam had killed five Naxalites in earlier encounters.

The first jeep in which Alam was seated was smashed to pieces by the powerful land mine triggered by Naxalites hiding in the jungles along the road. Besides Alam, the other policemen killed were Paldey Sadmek, Ishwar Kulsange, Devsaya Watti and Keshav Usande.

Gajanan Kirtikar, minister of state for home, said financial aid would be given to the next of kin of the five deceased policemen. The government would also consider other assistance to the families, including appointment of family members in government service, he said.