PATNA - Police pickets have been set up in two Bihar villages, three days after 16 people were massacred by suspected Maoists, as a precautionary measure to prevent further violence, officials said Monday.

“Police pickets have been set up in Amousi and Ichwara to give a sense of security to the people and ensure peace in the two villages,” said Inspector General of Police (Operations) S.K. Bhardawaj.

District Magistrate Abhay Singh said that the villagers were a little scared and had demanded a police picket soon after the killings took place in Amausi Thursday night.

“It is a natural fear after a massacre. The district authorities have provided security to them,” Singh said.

Police have said Thursday night’s massacre appeared to be due to a dispute over ownership of land. It took place in Amausi village in Khagaria, about 200 km north of Patna. All the victims belonged to the Kurmi caste and were from Amba Ichwara village, a few kilometres from the incident site. The attackers had tied their hands and feet before shooting them dead.

The killings have been blamed on the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist. The Maoists were from the Sada (Mushahar), a Mahadalit caste in Bihar considered the poorest of the poor, who are usually landless.

Police sources said more suspects would be detained following the arrest of 11 people, including the mastermind behind the massacre O.P. Mahto.

“Police have got some vital information about the incident and more arrests will be made soon as intensive combing operations are underway in the riverine areas of Khagaria,” an official said.

But the Maoists have denied their involvement in the killings. The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist claimed it “has nothing to do with the incident”.

“The Maoists have no hand in the massacre of the people in Khagaria,” local Hindi newspapers quoted Maoist leader Sanesh, who is secretary of the north Bihar zonal committee of CPI-Maoist, as saying.

He said the name of CPI-Maoist was taken to defame the outfit. “We have sympathy with those killed and their families. The CPI-Maoist would punish those behind the massacre by the end of this year,” Sanesh added.