Maoists gun down four in Jharkhand

Maoists tonight gunned down 4 persons, including a child, charging them with helping the police at Baruhatu village in Ranchi district's Bundu area.

"Three Maoists riding a motorcycle came and sprayed bullets on these persons killing them on the spot," Superintendent of police (Rural), Michael Raj, told PTI over phone.

The Maoists charged them with helping the police in their anti-Naxal operations, he said. He, however, said the deceased never helped the police in anti-Maoist operations.

The deceased were identified as Pradip Munda, his 8-year-old daughter and two friends, Sanjay Mahto and Soram Munda, the police said.

Police reinforcements have rushed to the spot.