Attack by suspected communist rebels kills 12 in India

Suspected communist rebels triggered a land mine Tuesday as a bus filled with wedding guests traveled down a road in western India, killing 12 people, a news report said.

Photo: Attack by suspected communist rebels kills 12 in India

The attack took place in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra state, more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) southeast of New Delhi, Press Trust of India news agency said, quoting unidentified police officials.

It was not immediately known whether the bride and groom were traveling in that bus.

The rebels, who claim to be inspired by Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong, have been fighting for more than two decades, demanding land and jobs for agricultural laborers and the poor. The rebel violence has killed more than 6,000 people.

It was not immediately clear why the wedding party was targeted, or whether it was a random attack. The rebels, known as Naxalites, sometimes target villagers who they believe are working against them.

The rebels are mainly active in six of India's 28 states, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Karnataka, Orissa and Chattisgarh, reports the AP.

I.L.