The Bihar police on Monday said that seven Bihar Military Police (BMP) personnel were killed in the encounter with Naxals in Lakhisarai district on Sunday.
Additional Director General (Headquarters) P. K. Thakur said combing operations were on to trace four missing police personnel.
Medical sources said eight injured BMP and State Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel were out of danger and undergoing treatment in hospitals in Lakhisarai and here.
ADVERTISEMENT
Police sources said while many Naxals were reportedly injured, it was hard to ascertain the number of those killed.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited the Patna Medical College Hospital and announced an immediate ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakh, besides an insurance cover of Rs. 13.75 lakh and a government job for the kin of the personnel killed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Kumar said Rs. 3 lakh would be given to those who sustained serious injuries and Rs. 50,000 for those with minor injuries.
The encounter began on Sunday afternoon when one BMP 10 battalion, one SAP division and a CRPF unit – comprising 95 men, reached Konima village in the Sheetalkorani hills. They were met with heavy firing from Naxalites.
1,000 rebels rained fire
Eyewitnesses said that at least 1,000 rebels rained fire on the police personnel in the encounter that lasted for more than five hours.
The injured personnel from the SAP and BMP complained about late action on the part of the district administration and lack of coordination on the part of the CRPF unit.
“We were a mere 40 men against a 1,000 Naxals, who attacked us with Light Machine Guns and AK-47 rifles. Moreover, the CRPF unit did not give us the expected covering fire, thus totally exposing us to the rebels,” said a constable from the BMP 10 battalion.
He received two bullet wounds.
“District police personnel and reinforcements reached the spot after the most vicious part of the fighting was over,” said a SAP jawan.
While the administration remained tight-lipped on details of the operation, Mr. Thakur said sensitive issues such as “lack of coordination or faulty intelligence would be commented on only after a thorough analysis of the incident,” which would take place “as soon as the four missing personnel are found.”
Mr. Thakur attributed the incident to the “unfavourable topography of the region,” which made the task tougher for the police personnel.
DGP camping at Kajra
Meanwhile, DGP Neelmani is camping along with other senior officers at Kajra, while a Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) battalion and Special Task Force unit and a BSF helicopter has been pressed into service to help in locating the missing personnel.