24 Killed in Land-Mine Blast; Rebels Suspected
Maoist rebels are suspected of detonating a land mine under an Indian security vehicle, killing at least 23 policemen and a civilian in the central state of Chattisgarh, officials said.
The explosion occurred late Saturday near the remote, impoverished Dantewada district, 170 miles south of the state capital, Raipur.
“The explosion was so powerful that it blew the vehicle about 30 feet in the air,” said Chattisgarh Home Minister Ramvichar Netam.
Thousands have died during the 3-decade-old Maoist insurgency across eight Indian states. The rebels say they are fighting for the rights of peasants and landless laborers.
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