You need to upgrade your Flash Player.
Photo Flash Gallery requires Macromedia Flash, version 8 or greater. Please click here to download.
Or, if you're absolutely positive you have Flash 8 or greater, click here to force the site to load.

24 policemen killed in Naxal attack

By JANANE VENKATRAMAN | 17 February 2010

24 policemen were killed and another seven were injured when a truckload of Naxals threw petrol bombs and grenades over the Shilda camp in West Midnapore in West Bengal today.

There were a total of 36 policemen in the tent when the attack happened. The Naxals also raided the armoury, taking with them forty guns.

A senior police office, Bhupinder Singh visited the disaster zone on Tuesday. He said that the camp’s location was naturally susceptible to attacks because of the shops around it that made it impossible to place security.

Home Minister P Chidambaram admitted that only a thorough investigation could bring to light how the police camp with adequate strength was overrun in broad daylight by the CPI (Maoist).

Shilda, where the camp was located, is 75 kilometres from Midnapore town. Police reinforcements from Binpur and Belpahari,  8-10 kilometres away, reached the spot three hours after the attack.

Maoist leader Kishenji has claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We have attacked the camp and this is our answer to Chidambaram's 'Operation Green Hunt' and unless the Centre stops this inhuman military operation we are going to answer this way only," Kishenji said from an undisclosed location.