Two persons, including a constable, were killed when Maoists opened fire on a police team in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Sunday, a senior officer said.

On receiving information about Maoist movement in Porahat forest, a police team was out on a search operation in Jonua village when the rebels opened fire from behind a row of houses, superintendent of police Inderjeet Mahata said.

Police personnel at the spot Telegraph picture

The police retaliated, but were caught in a difficult situation as the Maoists pushed women and children in the front before opening fire from behind the houses, he said.

Constable Lakhinder Singh Munda and special police officer Sundar Swarup Mahato were killed, the SP said.

The constable was the bodyguard of additional superintendent of police-cum-SDPO (Chakradharpur) Nathu Singh Meena. Special police officers or SPOs are recruited in the rural areas to assist the police, mainly in counter-insurgency operations.