The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Maoists blast Claymore mine, one killed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 28, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Maoists blast Claymore mine, one killed

Special Correspondent

Ongole SP escapes unhurt; CM condemns attack

ONGOLE: In a dare devil act, the CPI (Maoist) blasted a powerful Claymore mine targeting the Superintendent of Police, Mahesh Chandra Laddha, in the heart of Ongole town at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday.

While one person died and nine others were injured under the impact of the blast, Mr. Laddha and other policemen, who were travelling in a bullet-proof vehicle, escaped unhurt. The Maoists escaped after exchanging fire with the policemen.

The victim could not be identified as his body was shattered to pieces and they were strewn allover the place over a distance of 200 metres making it the most gruesome sight.

It is believed that the Maoists might have mounted the Claymore mine on a bicycle parked by the side of Devi temple in Sankarmuth, near Rangaraya tank, very close to the APSRTC bus station. Mr. Laddha, who held a review meeting in the district police office, was returning home for lunch. As his vehicle reached the temple it got slowed down. A team of five Maoists, who were waiting on the other side of the road, triggered the mine with a remote control device.

The blast was so powerful that the vehicle was badly damaged. The front wheel broke loose, the bonnet came off and the front windshield was broken to pieces. The vehicle itself was caught in flames. Mr. Laddha quickly recovered his wits and jumped out of the vehicle asking his security guards to open fire. The guards opened five rounds of fire and the Maoists returned fire. They escaped.

All the persons passing by the place at that time were injured.

Mr. Laddha, who was in a dazed condition, said that it was a miraculous escape for him. The District Collector, Udaya Lakshmi, visited the site and expressed shock and dismay. The meticulously planned and executed attack, sent shockwaves among policemen who suspected the hand of a suicide bomber. Explosive experts said that the impact of the blast was as powerful as the one blasted by naxalites at Alipiri targeting the then Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu.

According to a report from Hyderabad, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, condemned the dastardly attack.

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