India police killed in mine blast

By Sandeep Sahu
BBC News, Bhubaneswar

At least 17 Indian policemen have been killed in a landmine blast in the eastern state of Orissa, the authorities say.

Officials said Maoist rebels planted the mine, which went off while police were patrolling in Malkangiri district in the south of the state.

Police say shooting between security forces and the rebels then broke out.

The blast occurred in the same area where rebels sank a police boat late last month, killing 38 policemen.

"They blew up the anti-landmine vehicle that the policemen were travelling in," Malkangiri superintendent of police Satish Kumar Gajbhiye told the BBC.

He denied reports that the Maoists had fired on police after their vehicle overturned.

Reports say the blast was so powerful the vehicle was thrown about 30 feet into the air before crashing to the ground.

Mr Gajbhiye said earlier reports of 24 police being killed had turned out to be false.

Seventeen policemen died in the blast, he said, while seven others travelling on motor cycles had escaped unhurt.

He told the BBC that all 17 bodies had been found and were being taken to the district headquarters.

Wednesday's attack is being seen as a further huge setback for the security forces following the sinking of the police launch on the border between Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states on 29 June.

It came as senior officials from several states hit by Maoist violence met to discuss how to counter the threat.

The Maoists are active in many states across east and central India.

They say they represent the rights of landless farmhands and tribal communities. Hundreds of people have died in the insurgency.