PATNA, India (Reuters) - At least 12 lower-caste villagers were shot dead at night in the eastern Indian state of Bihar by suspected members of an upper-caste private army, police said on Thursday.

The attackers struck early on Thursday in Narayanpur village, 74 kms (46 miles) from the state capital Patna in the crime-ridden district of Jehanabad.

``Twelve harijans (lower caste people) in Narayanpur village were mowed down by the extremists in the wee hours of Thursday,'' state Director General of Police, K.A. Jacob, told Reuters.

``The identity of the killers is yet to be ascertained. But the Ranvir Sena is suspected to be behind the killing,'' he said, referring to a powerful militia formed by upper-caste landlords.

The Press Trust of India quoted Jacob as saying that the mob killed the villagers as they slept.

Last month 24 villagers in the same district were killed and 13 were wounded in a Ranvir Sena attack.

The private militia has often clashed with supporters of the predominantly lower-caste Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), mainly over land disputes. The rebels want a radical redistribution of land in the state, which is bitterly opposed by upper-caste landlords.

Wire