Ranchi, Nov 26 (IANS) Maoist guerrillas Thursday triggered a landmine explosion in Jharkhand, killing a policeman, a day after the first phase of assembly elections. The incident also came in the wake of a blast in a school building, police said.
Jharkhand police spokesperson V.H. Deshmukh said a police team was on routine patrol when the blast took place in Jorana village of Khuti district, 70 km from here.

“A head constable was killed and four security personnel were injured in the landmine blast. The jeep was hit by a landmine planted on the roadside,” Deshmukh told IANS.

The injured security personnel were air-lifted to hospital here. Elections to the state assembly in Khuti district are to be held in the second phase Dec 2.

Late Wednesday, Maoists also blew up a school building in Chandri village of Chatra district, which will go to polls in the last phase Dec 18.

This was the ninth instance of Maoists targeting school buildings this month. The rebels have been targeting schools as security forces camp there during elections.

In Gumla district, police recovered a 20 kg landmine. According to Deshmukh, it was recovered during a search operation in Visunpur block.

The five-phased assembly polls end Dec 18. The vote count is due Dec 23.