SI, constable killed in landmine blast

By V.Geetanath

ARUTLA (Rangareddy Dist), JUNE 9. One sub-inspector and a constable were killed when suspected naxalites belonging to the People's War Group blasted a landmine near a culvert at Bandelamuru village in Manchal mandal of Rangareddy district on Saturday afternoon.

The victims - SI G. Saidaiah (27) and constable K. Sailoo (32) - were returning from the village after attending a gram sabha for the Janmabhoomi programme on a motor cycle when the naxalites of the Rachakonda dalam, who were waiting in the hillocks abutting the road, triggered the landmines with a flashgun.

The duo were hurtled into the air and fell into the ditch beside the road. While the SI died instantaneously after one of his legs was ripped apart, the injured constable, who survived the blast, seemed to have been shot at a close range from an AK 47 rifle by the naxalites.

The impact of the blast was such that the bike's front portion was blown away with the tyre landing at least 300 mtrs among the rocks. Flesh pieces and shoes were strewn over a considerable distance.

The naxalites decamped with the carbine of the constable but the police could recover the pistol of the sub- inspector from the spot. According to Mr. Narasimha Rao, Inspector, Ibrahimpatnam, the police personnel of the Manchal police station had gone to the Bandelamuru village for the gram sabha along with the nodal officer and other officials in different vehicles, including a few two-wheelers.

Even as the others started their journey towards another village, Chennareddygudem, the SI and the constable stayed back for sorting out a village tangle along with two other constables. The nodal officers' team crossed the `kutcha' road and the victims who followed them after a gap of 10 to 15 minutes were blown away.

The naxals had laid five mines on the road and triggered two of them from a distance of 300 m. The wires were laid all along the stretch to their hiding place nestled between two boulders. The naxals had a clear view of the road. That the operation was a planned one was apparent as the police found biscuit packs, tiffin boxes, rice sack, flashlight, comb, among other things.

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Section  : Southern States
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