Hunt for Maoists who killed five in Bihar

Security forces launched a massive combing operation against Maoists in Bihar's Aurangabad district Thursday, a day after five people, including three policemen, were killed when rebels attacked the camp of a construction firm, police officials said.

"Security forces have launched an operation to nab Maoists and to take action against them," Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Ravinder Kumar said.

Additional security forces including those from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were moved from neighbouring districts and are now engaged in combing operation against Maoists, Kumar said.

More than 250 Maoists Wednesday night attacked the base camp of the construction company near Goh in Aurangabad district, about 150 km from here.

According to Rituraj Singh, a police official incharge of Goh police station, three special auxiliary police (SAP) personnel and two men of a private security agency hired by the construction company were killed in the attack.

Singh said that Maoists tried to destroy a bridge over river Balaru near Goh.

Police officials said that the Maoist attack on the base camp of the construction firm is connected with its refusal to pay levy as demanded by them.

Police personnel were deployed at the base camp after CRPF personnel engaged in anti-Maoist operations in the area were withdrawn and shifted to Bodh Gaya after serial bomb blasts at the revered Mahabodhi temple.