Thursday, January 6 2005 14:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Intensive combing operations are on to track the CPI-Maoist (Communist Party of India-Maoist) naxalites responsible for the blast that claimed the lives of the Munger police superintendent K C Surendra Babu and six others, while the Bihar Government today (Jan 6, 2005) announced ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakhs to the bereaved families of each of the slain policemen.

Government jobs to one eligible member of each of their families was also announced following demands by the Bihar Police Association, whose general secretary Arvind Yadav called on Chief Minister Rabri Devi, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) Chief and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad and Chief Secretary K A H Subramanian.

Arvind Yadav later claimed that the State Government had conceded the association's demands for ex-gratia and Government jobs to the slain policemen's families and would issue an official notification later today. Subramanian too confirmed that the Government had accepted the demands. Angry policemen, who had earlier resisted post-mortem on their colleagues killed in yesterday's (Jan 5, 2005) blast, allowed the doctors to do the job in Munger after receiving information about the Government's willingness.

Police said that 10 landmines were recovered from near the explosion-site in Munger.

The combing operation is being supervised by Bihar police chief Narain Mishra, IG (Bhagalpur) N C Dhondiyal and DIG Rajesh Chandra. One company each of BSF and the CRPF have been engaged in the work, the police said.

Police said that an FIR was registered with Kharagpur police station in Munger district against unknown CPI-Maoist naxalites in connection with the blast.

CPI-Maoist had yesterday exploded a landmine, which they had planted, by a remote control and killed police superintendent K C Surendra Babu and six other policemen when they were returning from an operation against the outlawed ultra-Leftists.

Naxalites had detonated the landmine when the vehicle in which the police team was travelling reached near Gangta (Bhimbandh).

The police vehicle was thrown 50 feet high and was blown into pieces under the impact of the blast. Surendra Babu, a 1997-batch IPS, his bodyguard, driver and four other district armed police personnel were killed on the spot.

The naxalites took away two SLRs, one carbine, two pistols, two revolvers and several rounds of ammunition, the police said.