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8 policemen hurt in naxal attack in Udupi district

Ganesh Prabhu

Three landmines go off after vehicles pass over the site

HEBRI (UDUPI DISTRICT): Eight policemen were injured when naxalites detonated three landmines at Mathav village, about seven kilometres from here, on Thursday.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Parmeshwarappa, told presspersons here that two jeeps and a van carrying police personnel were on their way from Kokkanabettu to Mutlupady when the landmines were detonated around 4.30 p.m. The first mine detonated after the first jeep passed, the second after the second jeep passed and the third after the van passed. About 13 policemen were travelling in the two jeeps and there were about 15 personnel of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) in the van. The blasts damaged the jeeps and eight police personnel in them were injured, two of them with head injuries.

After the detonation of the landmines, there was an exchange of fire between the police personnel and the naxalites. The naxalites opened fire first and the police returned fire. There were about 12 to 15 naxalites who were firing from a distance, Mr. Parmeshwarappa said. The exchange of fire went on for quite some time, he said.

The injured police personnel are Ramdas, Shankar Singh, Jagadish and Bopanna of the KSRP; Sankapayya, Assistant Sub-Inspector, Hebri police station; Narayan and Padme Gowda, jeep drivers; and Krishnaprasad, police constable, Hebri.

The injured policemen have been then brought to Hebri.

The Superintendent of Police, S. Murugan, later told presspersons that the six others would also be shifted to Manipal Hospital.

The police had been receiving information about the movement of naxalites in the area. The personnel of the Udupi district police and the Anti-Naxalite Force were involved in today's combing operations.

The naxalites are known to move about in areas coming under the Kollur, Shankarnarayana, Hebri and Karkala police stations. This is because these areas are covered by dense forests of the Western Ghats coming under the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Kudremukh National Park.

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8 policemen hurt in naxal attack in Udupi district

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