Tuesday, April 25 2006 15:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The state government today (Apr 25, 2006) announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs one lakh and a government job to the next of kin of a JD(U) leader and five of his supporters killed by CPI (Maoist) guerrillas in Bihar's Aurangabad district last night.

State Home Secretary Afzal Amanullah told sources that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was busy campaigning for the NDA in West Bengal, had directed the authorities to immediately pay a compensation of Rs one lakh and find suitable government employment for one family member of each of those killed in the naxalite violence.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Panchayati Raj Minister Ram Nath Thakur and Zonal Inspector General of Police Rajvardhan Sharma have flown to the place of the incident for an on the spot inquiry, Amanullah said.

Heavily armed naxalites had ambushed the convoy of Madanpur block JD(U) President Ashok Singh near Devjada village in the district around 10 pm last night when he was returning after campaigning for zilla parishad election. Singhwas a candidate in the election.

The underground rebels, who have called for a boycott of the elections to three-tier Panchayati Raj bodies scheduled next month, sprayed Singh's vehicle with bullets leading to afierce exchange of fire for about an hour and a half in which six persons, including Singh, was killed.

The naxalites also made a bonfire of the vehicle of Singh, currently the mukhiya (panchayat head) of Ghodadihri panchayat in Madanpur block, and threw all the bodies into it.