Maoists forcing children to make IEDs for them: SP

LATEHAR: A senior police officer today claimed that Maoists are abducting children to help them make IED and one of the six boys recently abducted by them died when the bomb he was handling exploded in Latehar district, about 100 km from Ranchi.

According to Superintendent of Police Michael S Raj, 10-year-old Pardeshi Lohara died while handling the bomb on September 13 at Bandhua village under Heranj police station.

Under pressure from the Maoists, his family members buried the body immediately, the SP said.

Getting the tip-off, the police exhumed the body yesterday and sent for post mortem, the Raj said.

The police have launched raids to trace the five other children, aged between 12 and 14, in Maoist captivity, he said.

"They abducted the children to make IEDs," the police officer added.