Odisha landmine blast toll mounts to 8

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Jeypore, Feb 2:

The death toll in the landmine blast near Mungarbhumi on Sunki ghat in Odisha’s Koraput district rose to eight today.

The body of Havildar Tulasiram Majhi, who had gone missing after the blast yesterday, was recovered this morning taking the toll to eight.

The other deceased policemen were identified as Havildar Major Somnath Sisa, Ganesh Prasad Saha, Arun Kumar Nayak, Pradip Kumar Rout, Sanjay Kumar Dash and Subarna Kumar Raj.

Meanwhile, full state honours were given to the martyrs at Koraput parade ground today in the presence of DIG, South Western Range S Shyni and top police officials.

Notably, the landmine blast had taken place last evening blowing a bus of Odisha police carrying about 13 policemen near Mungarbhumi on Sunki ghat.

While police had recovered bodies of four jawans from the spot yesterday, three others succumbed to their injuries in hospital later.

The blast occurred when the bus carrying the policemen passed over a culvert on the National Highway no. 26 connecting Raipur with Visakhapatnam.