HYDERABAD (India), Nov 19: Fourteen people, mostly tribals, were killed when Maoist rebels blew up a bus in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Monday night and then escaped into nearby forests.

Guerillas of the outlawed People’s War Group (PWG) used a remote control device to blow up the bus in the village of Chintagattu, some 260kms from Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The Press Trust of India (PTI), quoting unidentified police sources, had earlier said at least 30 people had been killed in the explosion.

But a superintendent of police in Warangal town, near Chintagattu, said the number of casualties was lower.

“There was some confusion because of the darkness and the remoteness of the area where the blast took place,” he added.

“In the daylight it has become clear that six men, six women and two children were killed.”

Police said the rebels had placed a landmine under a culvert in the road and had then apparently fled across the border into the heavily forested neighbouring state of Chattisgarh.

“The search operation is on but we are being hindered by the fact that the blast sight is just a kilometre-and-a-half from the Godavari river and across that is Chattisgarh,” a police official said.

He said forces from both states would need to coordinate their efforts to hunt down those responsible for the blast.

The guerillas apparently believed the state transport corporation bus was carrying policemen, but the majority of the victims were local tribespeople returning to their village after visiting a local fair.

Police thought the rebels blew up the bus to avenge the killing of five of their cadres by security personnel on Sunday.

Ten passengers were seriously injured in the blast and the bus was completely destroyed.

The attack comes amid intensified operations by the security forces in the dense Eturunagaram forest against PWG guerillas, also known as Naxalites.

“Frustrated over the increasing reverses, the PWG has resorted to this desperate act,” PTI quoted a senior police official as saying.

Police were searching the area for the assailants.—AFP