Two Cops die in suspected Maoist attack on ex-BJP MLA in Ranchi

Ranchi: In a suspected Maoist attack on Tuesday, two policemen on duty as guards to former BJP MLA Gurucharan Nayak died after the attackers slit their throats. Nayak, who escaped the attack, was in Jhilrua village of West Singhbhum district, attending a sports event, The Indian Express reported.

A press release issued by district police said that the incident happened after 5:30 pm in the Goilkera police station area. A group in civil dress surrounded MLA's vehicle, snatched weapons from security guards and attacked them. However, MLA and a guard saved themselves and reached safety in Sonua town. The police, along with CRPF, are running raids in the area, it said.

Nayak told the media that he goes to the event ground every year. After the ceremony, he was about to get into his vehicle when the incident happened. His guards were stabbed, and his party got looted by the assaulters, though he managed to escape. The dead policemen were Shankar Nayak and Thakur Hembrem, he said.

Chaibasa Superintendent of Police Ajay Linda confirmed the death of two guards. One of them was missing at first, but his body was found later. The police are probing the incident from all possible angles, he said.

PTI reported that the assaulters snatched the guards AK-47rifles and fled after slitting their throats.

Meanwhile, Nayak's brother Rajesh Pradhan told TIE that he was present at the spot when the attack happened. More than two dozen armed men entered the ceremony grounds and fired into the air. Before anyone could react, the two policemen were attacked, and another guard got injured. During the chaos, they fled the place. In 2012, Nayak had escaped another attack, Rajesh said.

The Opposition, BJP, criticised the state government's fragile law and order.