9 killed as MCC, Ali Sena clash in Ranchi dist

9 killed as MCC, Ali Sena clash in Ranchi dist
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

RANCHI, SEPT 13: Nine persons were killed in an hour-long exchange of fire between suspected gunmen of the Maoist Communist Centre and the Ali Sena, a private army of Muslim youths, in Narkopi village of Ranchi district this evening.

Sources in the police told the êThe Indian Express that the heavily armed men were engaged in fighting between 4.30 to 5.30 pm in Narkopi Bazar, during which three MCC activists and six members of the Ali Sena were killed. Another two of their cadre were injured and reportedly admitted to the Rajendra Medical College Hospital here, where their condition was described as ``critical''.

Although the neither the injured nor the deceased were identified, police sources claimed that the three of the deceased Naxalites were tribals whereas six Ali Sena members were Sunni Muslims.

It is for the first time in this belt that suspected extremists of the Ali Sena, which was formed in the neighbouring Lohardaga district in 1998 to resist the MCC, have clashed so ruthlessly and violently as they did today. The cause of the clash was not known.

Senior police officials, including Ranchi SSP Gupteshwar Pandey, were camping at the site of the clash. They have reportedly launched a combing operation but no arrests have been made so far.