Maoists gun down cop in Munger crackdown

Munger: A police sub-inspector (SI), Bhavesh Kumar, was shot dead by Maoists in hilly forests in Munger district on Saturday morning. The 42-year-old was posted at the Dharahara police station in the district.
Munger (sadar) SDPO Lalit Mohan Sharma said a police team led by Kumar was engaged in an anti-Maoists combing operation since early Saturday morning. As the policemen were questioning a villager, Maoists started firing on them from their hideout.A bullet hit Kumar in his neck and he fell down.
He was immediately taken to the police station where civil surgeon Dr Shreenath sent an ambulance with Dr Faizuddin. He provided him first aid to the SI and rushed him to the Munger sadar hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
Munger SP Varun Kumar Sinha said SI Kumar was shot from a close range. Villager Suresh Kora was injured in the police firing in course of the encounter. In protest, a large number of adivasis laid a siege to the Dharahara police station. When reports last came in, senior police officers were camping at Dharahara to pacify the villagers.
Sources said Kumar was a 2009-batch SI and resident of Chauki village in Begusarai district. He was posted at the Dharahara police station only a few months back.