14 Die in Bus Blast in India

A land mine exploded under a passenger bus Monday as it traveled through a dense forest in southern India, killing at least 14 people, police said.

The bus was destroyed in the attack, about 125 miles north of Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh state. After the blast, the attackers -- believed to be Maoist guerrillas -- opened fire on the flaming wreckage, apparently mistaking it for a police transport, said Gautam Swang, deputy inspector general of police in the Warangal district.

No police were aboard the bus, Swang said.

He said that the bus was carrying more than 40 passengers and that at least 14 were killed. The survivors were taken to the nearest village, but there was no doctor there, he said. At least 16 people were injured.

Swang blamed the leftist People’s War Group, which mostly targets rich landowners, police and government officials. The group claims to be inspired by the ideology of Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Tse-tung.

Police had been patrolling the forest area Monday after exchanging fire with rebels over the weekend. At least five rebels were killed Sunday.

The rebels are fighting for an independent homeland in five southern Indian states. More than 6,000 people have died in the fighting since 1981.

The group announced a unilateral cease-fire earlier this year, but it called it off in July, accusing the government of failing to restrain police from attacking guerrilla camps.