PATNA, INDIA // Police killed at least 12 Maoist rebels in early Tuesday clashes early Tuesday in one of their strongholds in eastern India.
The police attacked the rebels as they were on their way to extort money from several mining contractors in Palamau district in Jharkhand state, said police inspector-general SN Pradhan.
Mr Pradhan said the police recovered 12 bodies and eight automatic weapons in a forested area, about 300 kilometres south of Patna, the capital of neighbouring Bihar state.
He said there were no police casualties.
In April last year, Maoist rebels ambushed a police vehicle in the same region in Jharkhand and killed six police officers during voting in India’s national elections.
The rebels, who have been fighting for more than three decades demanding land and jobs for tenant farmers and the poor, say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
They are considered India’s biggest internal security threat, operate in 20 of India’s 28 states.
* Associated Press
