Bhubaneswar: Terming the landmine explosion
in Kandhamal district as "brutal", Orissa chief minister
Naveen Patnaik on Monday said stringent action would be taken
against the culprits.
Patnaik was reacting to yesterday`s landmine explosion in
Kandhamal where five persons, including a pregnant woman and a
three-year-old child, were killed.
"It is a very tragic incident. They have killed innocent
people including women and a child," Patnaik said adding a
massive combing operation had been launched in the area to nab
the culprits involved in blowing up an ambulance carrying five
persons including its driver.
"There should be no doubt on involvement of Maoist ultras
behind triggering the landmine explosion. No other group
except Maoists could trigger such a high intensity explosion,"
said a senior police officer engaged in the combing operation.
Brahmanigaon area in Kandhamal district had long ago been
identified as Maoist infested. During the communal riot in
December 2007, the Maoists had triggered a landmine blast in
front of Brahmanigaon police station killing a policeman, said
a police official.
PTI
