NAGPUR, Aug 7: Five policemen were killed this afternoon when a patrol van of anti-Naxalite police was blown up by Naxalites of the People'S War Group (PWG) in Bhamragadh tehsil of Gadchiroli district, according to information.

The gypsy van on patrol duty was blown up when landmines exploded near Khandigaon village deep inside the forest on the Bhamragadh-Kucheri road.The PWG may have exploded the landmines to avenge the death of a Naxalite Shrikant Kotty in a police encounter at Kucheri on July 29 last.

According to police sources, the encounter with the Permili Dalam of PWG took place during the `martyrs week' being observed by the Naxalite group to mark the 25th death anniversary of Charu Muzumdar, one of the founders of the Naxalite movement.

Head constable Pandu, one of the five killed today, was also in the police party which returned fire when the Dalam members fired 80 rounds on it in an ambush near Kucheru, 25 kms from Bhamragad. The other members of the Dalam escaped into the dense forest in the heavy downpour. Today's blast seems to have been timed for the eve of the official visit of the Guardian Minister of Gadchiroli district and Minister of State for Home Gajanan Kirtikar, who is scheduled to reach here on Friday.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.