In a daring daylight attack suspected Maoists gunned down three policemen and injured two others in Bankura district on Wednesday.

The attack took place in the Sarenga police station area following which the assailants escaped with the police team’s firearms.

The deceased are Assistant Sub-Inspector Biswanath Bera (50) of Daspur in West Midnapore, constables Gopal Dey (46) from Hura, Purulia and Bishnupada Saha (45) of Khandaghosh in Burdwan. The injured are constable Nripendranath Das and home guard Balaram Maity.

Police said the police team was on a patrol duty in the Maoist-affected area and had stopped at a local dhaba at Pirolgari crossing for lunch when a gang of seven to eight armed men arrived on motorbikes and opened fire on the policemen.

The owner of the dhaba, Kalachand Das, told police that their colleagues used to regularly have their lunch while on a patrol duty.

While Bera, Dey and Saha died after being hit by bullets, Das and Maity were beaten up by the suspected Maoists.

Police said the injured were taken to a local primary health centre for first aid and then referred to Bankura Medical College & Hospital for further treatment.

Superintendent of Police (Bankura) Vishal Garg said a large-scale combing operation has been launched to apprehend the assailants. “The district border with West Midnapore has been sealed. It is too early to say who they were, but we suspect them to be Maoists. It is not yet known if they are based in Bengal or came from a neighbouring state,” Garg said, adding no arrests have been made so far.

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