Four cops killed after Maoists open fire on patrol van in Jharkhand's Latehar; Raghubar Das calls attack cowardly

Latehar: Four police personnel have been killed in a Naxal attack near a village in Latehar district, police said on Saturday.

Armed Maoists opened fire on a patrol van near Lukiatand village under Chandwa police station on Friday night, killing the four policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), they said. The deceased have been identified as ASI Sukra Oraon and home guard jawans Sikander Singh, Jamuna Prasad and Sambhu Prasad, a police officer said.

Another jawan, who was part of the patrol party, escaped the attack as he had gone to attend nature’s call, he said.

Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das has condemned the attack and expressed grief over the death of the four police personnel.

लातेहार में वीर जवानों पर किया गया हमला कायरता है। मैं इस नृशंस हमले की कड़ी निंदा करता हूं। हमारे बहादुर सुरक्षाकर्मियों का बलिदान व्यर्थ नहीं जाएगा। पूरा झारखण्ड और देश बहादुर शहीदों के परिवारों के साथ कंधे से कंधा मिलाकर खड़ा है।

— Raghubar Das (@dasraghubar) November 22, 2019

Further investigation into the incident is underway.