Pottangi: A five-member Crime Branch (CB) team Saturday reached here in Koraput district to begin probe into the landmine blast near Mungargummi village near Sunki ghat under this police limits in which eight police personnel had been killed while they were going for a training session.
On the orders of the state government, the team guided by crime branch DSP P K Mishra comprised Jaya Rashmi, Bijay Kumar Oram, Gobind Majhi and Pratap Behera. A forensic team also accompanied the team for the investigation.
The team held discussions with additional SP V R Rao, Sunabeda SDPO Smith Parmar, IIC Dev Kumar Gomango and other police officials over the landmine blast. While the exact reason of the blast and the circumstances that led to the tragedy were not ascertained, police suspected it was the handiwork of the Maoists.
Meanwhile, the five-member team and district police kept the matter confidential and refrained from leaking anything to the media. Police and BSF (Border Security Force) jawans intensified combing operation in the area and security was tightened in BSF camps and police stations.
It may be noted here that a total of 13 police constables were on their way to Cuttack from Koraput to undergo a training programme. However, the Maoists seemed to have been tipped off about their journey. They had planted a landmine under a culvert near Sunki ghat on National Highway-26 killing eight of the 13 jawans including the driver of the vehicle. The incident had occurred February 1.
The attack was the fallout of a warning by the Maoists to boycott panchayat polls. The ultras have warned voters to shun elections. They had also threatened to sabotage the polls. Incidentally, a ward member candidate was gunned down by Maoists in Malkangiri district. PNN
