Ranchi: Chief Minister Hemant Soren and senior authorities of the state government today paid homage to the deceased victims of yesterday�s Naxalite attack in Shikaripara police station area of Dumka.
Eight persons including six policemen and two polling officers were killed in the improvised explosion and firing by Naxalites in Dumka late yesterday evening.
The CM, accompanied by the director general of police, Rajeev Kumar, paid tributes to the martyred cops and polling party members at Dumka Police Lines in the morning. Many senior bureaucrats of the state were present during the condolence programme. The kin of the victims were also present on the occasion.
Bodies of the deceased jawans and polling officials were brought to the Police Lines this morning. They were later sent to the respective native places of the deceased victims.
The CM also paid a brief visit to Shikaripara police station on his visit to Dumka, but was advised not to go any further for security reasons.
Speaking to mediapersons, the CM said, �The Naxalites have carried out such a cowardly attack in a peaceful region. This is the result of their increasing frustration and disappointment. The state government is sensitive enough to the kin of the killed jawans and polling party members. We will extend every possible help to the family members of those killed.�
The CM said the government will be doing its homework well and devise an effective way out to deal squarely with the terror-mongers.
Replying to questions about police failure, the DGP admitted there had been a strategic failure on part of the police. �Definitely there are certain drawbacks which we need to analyse and rectify to avoid such a major incident of loss of manpower,� he said.
Naxalites blew up vehicles of police jawans and polling party officials on their return trip from a polling booth in Dumka, killing eight of them at the scene. They also opened fire on the vehicle after triggering the improvised explosion.
After the attack, the Naxalites looted five INSAS rifles, 550 bullets and 25 magazines from the police personnel. The victims comprised police personnel and polling officers posted in polling booth number 100 at Primary School, Jamkandar and polling booth number 101 at Upgraded Middle School, Asna.
The victims were on a bus and another four-wheeler, one Tata Magic, when they were attacked on the culvert over River Dwarika near Sarasajor. They were identified as Ravindra Kujur, Ram Naresh Singh, Raghunandan Jha, Jai Vijay Sharma, Mohammad Sahim Khan, Ghan Shyam Sah, Amit Kumar and Dilip Mirdha. Those injured were identified as Ramesh Marandi, Prakash Soren, Hiralal Pal, Umesh Tigga, Ajay Oraon, Ram Pratap Rajak, Naimuddin Ansari, Hiralal Mistri, Subodh Mistri, Alamgir Alam and Nirajan Prasad Yadav. They were referred to Dhanbad and Ranchi. Cops have recovered EVMs and other documents related to polls from the spot.
