2012 K

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed Odisha home secretary UN Behera and Director General of Police (DGP) Prakash Mishra to submit report on Kandhamal landmine explosion that killed three policemen on January 5, 2012.

The blast, suspected to be triggered by Naxals, had taken place near Srirampur in Kandhamal district and left three cops critically injured.

It was alleged that standard operation procedure (SOP) was violated by top police officials in conducting combing operation in the Red zones that cost the lives of cops.

According to reports, while the first vehicle in which the policemen were travelling was badly damaged, the one following and the occupants in it escaped unhurt. Officials had then suspected the act that of Maoists who wanted to thwart combing operation in the area and retaliate the previous day’s blast in which one of their men was blown into pieces.

Days before the incident, the extremists had set fire to three mobile towers in Ganjam district's Baragarh area.