Six landmines found in Bihar ahead of LS polls

Six landmines planted by Maoists in Gaya Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar were found Tuesday, a day after three troopers were killed while trying to defuse an explosive device, police said.

Three CRPF troopers were killed in Aurangabad district Monday when an improvised explosive device blew up while they were defusing it.

On Tuesday, a team of CRPF detected six landmines planted near Tandwa in Gaya.

"Four landmines were defused and CRPF officials are trying to defuse the remaining two," a police official said.

Meanwhile, a report spoke about a shootout between police and Maoists in Jamui parliamentary constituency Tuesday morning, but no casualty has been reported so far.

Police Monday also recovered two cane bombs weighing 20 kg each in Gaya during a search operation.

Bihar will see six-phase polling, beginning April 10. Gaya along with five Maoist-affected constituencies - Aurangabad, Sasaram, Jamui, Nawada and Karakat - will vote that day.

Police said Maoists have called for a boycott of the Lok Sabha election and had placed the landmines to create panic.