Kolkata, Dec 22 (IANS) Four police personnel were injured in a landmine blast in West Bengal’s Maoist-stronghold of West Midnapore district, police said Tuesday.
Officials said the incident took place late Monday near Rathbera of Dahijuri locality in the district. A police team was on its way to a trouble zone to rescue a family allegedly attacked by the Maoist ultras when the blast occurred.

“Four policemen, including the inspector-in-charge of Binpur police station, were injured in the landmine blast,” West Midnapore District Magistrate N.S Nigam told IANS.

He said joint forces could not enter the area when suspected Maoist rebels ransacked and torched the house of a local Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Amiyo Sengupta.

“The force cannot enter the region last (Monday) night as there were landmines planted in the entire stretch.

“Police recovered three fresh landmines between Binpur and Dohijuri area this morning also,” Nigam said.

He said the joint forces had been sent to the area Tuesday morning to bring the situation under control.