17 including Ex-CM's son killed by naxalites

GIRIDIH (JHARKHAND): Seventeen people, including the son of former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi were killed by armed Naxalites at Chilkhadia village in Giridih district in the wee hours of Saturday.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arun Kumar Singh said 25-30 Naxalites mingled with the crowd at a cultural programme in the village.

Around 1 am, the Naxalites suddenly opened indiscriminate fire and exploded bombs killing 14 people on the spot, while three succumbed to their injuries later, the ASP said.

"Former chief minister Babulal Marandi's son was feared among the dead," Singh said.

Four others were also injured in the attack. The cultural programme was organised after a football match that had concluded in the afternoon on Friday, he said.

The ASP said the incident site bordered Bihar and the attackers could have sneaked into that state after the attack in which two women were also injured.

Policemen led by an officer were present at the spot as there was prior information about the cultural programme.

"But he (police officer) left in the evening itself, which is a clear case of negligence of duty because he was supposed to stay till the end of the programme," he said.

Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi told newsmen that he had received the information that his son, Anup, was among the killed. But his brother had escaped the attack.

"My family has been a target of the naxals... they should be more careful. As per my information the Maoists were in CRPF uniform, sat with the crowd watching the cultural programme and attacked during the closing part."

Lamenting the increase of Maoist violence, he alleged that neither the Jharkhand government nor the Centre had any policy to curb naxals or bring them back to the mainstream.

The naxals, he claimed, had spread their "tentacles" in all the districts of Jharkhand and in 156 districts across the country

Source: indiatimes.com

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