Maoists detonate under-construction community hall in Bihar's Gaya district, police launch raids

Gaya: Maoists triggered a blast in an under-construction community hall at a village in Bihar’s Gaya district, destroying the structure. The Maoists stormed into Jangai village on Sunday night and detonated explosives in the under-construction building, damaging it totally. [caption id=“attachment_3709527” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The ultras left behind leaflets claiming responsibility for the incident, Barachatti police station in-charge Chetnanand Jha said. They targeted the structure as the community hall was being constructed to serve as a police picket in the Maoist-affected area, Jha said. A case has been registered in this connection and raids were being carried out to nab the Maoists, Jha said. On 14 May, the security forces had nabbed two ultras during combing and search operation from Budhia Lapar village in Jamui district while they were planting can bombs on a village road leading to Dhel Patthar jungle. Two bombs weighing 2.5 kg each were also seized from the duo. on 18 June, two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Kumardari forest in Bihar. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of CoBRA, the CRPF’s specialised unit for jungle warfare, and the police department had carried out a combing operation after which an exchange of fire took place between them and the rebels. With inputs from PTI.