9 policemen, three rebels killed in Birtamod clash

March 22, 2006
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Nine policemen were killed as a group of armed Maoists attacked the Birtamod-based Area Police Office and Traffic Police Office Tuesday morning.

A group of 300 Maoists in three trucks attacked the Area Police office and Traffic police office of Birtamod at around seven in the morning.

The dead police personnel have been identified as Sub-Inspectors Khem Bahadur Basynet, Bir Bahadur Tamang and Shyam Karki and constables Ramesh Pokhrel, Yuvaraj Gurung, Manoj Rajbansi, Hari Katwal, Shrawan Shrestha and Bindeswar Mandal.

In the attacks, 20 policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector and two civilians, were injured. The civilians Bishal Gurung and Basudev Gurung were under detention at the Area Police Office.

Among the injured security personnel, 13 have been airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.

One Maoist was also killed in the retaliation.

Maoists also reportedly looted some weapons following the attack.

The Maoists had blocked the East-West Highway and the Bhadrapur-Birtamod road section leading to Birtamod before launching the attack.

Meanwhile, a truck carrying the Maoists retreating from the offensive overturned killing a civilian and two of their cadres.

A report from Dharan said a police constable was killed when the Maoists attacked the Ward Police Office (WPO) at Bhanu Chowk, ward number 6 of Dharan Tuesday morning. Four security personnel and three civilians were also injured in the incident.

Reports quoted Sub Inspector (SI) Min Ranabhat, in-charge of Ward Police Office, as saying that 27-year-old police constable Hem Shrestha was killed in the attack.

Two workers, Neeraj Tamang and Deepak Poudel, and a pedestrian Bal Bahadur Khadka were injured after being caught in crossfire.

A group of around 35 Maoists had told residents over loudspeakers to close down the bazaar before launching an attack at the WPO from the eastern direction.

The Maoists also damaged a vehicle of Area Police Office, Dharan that was parked at Bhanu Chowk. The passengers at the Bus Park, right next to the WPO, were terrorised during the sudden attack, reports said. Two buses parked at the Bus Park were also damaged in the Maoist firing, the WPO said.