Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday termed the deadly Maoist attack on CRPF personnel in Chattisgarh “cold blooded murder”, saying the government has accepted the challenge and it will take strong action.
At least 25 soldiers died a day ago after a nearly 100-strong patrol party was ambushed in Sukma, considered among India’s worst insurgency-hit regions.
Singh, who visited Raipur to take stock of the situation, said the government will review its strategy to combat Maoist militancy and deploy more senior officers in the region.
“It is an act of desperation. We have accepted it as a challenge. We will review the strategy and if necessary we will revisit it,” his ministry tweeted.
{{/usCountry}}“It is an act of desperation. We have accepted it as a challenge. We will review the strategy and if necessary we will revisit it,” his ministry tweeted.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to reporters in Raipur, the minister called the midday ambush of CRPF personnel a “desperate attempt” to block development and said the government had taken the strike as a challenge.
“The naxals (Maoists) won’t succeed…we will revise and renew our strategy at a meeting on May 8,” he said. “The Centre and state governments will together work and take action.”
He paid homage to deceased CRPF personnel at a wreath-laying ceremony at the headquarters of the 4th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force in the Mana camp area.
Chhattisgarh governor Balramji Das Tandon, chief minister Raman Singh, Union minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Ahir and senior state and paramilitary officials were also present at the ceremony.
The home minister said Maoists were the “biggest enemies” of tribal and poor people in the area and were against any development.
“But they will not succeed in their evil designs,” he said, asserting that the Centre and the state would work together to fight them.
Chhattisgarh CM Singh too called the attack “condemnable” and said development work as well as anti-Maoist operations will continue unabated.
“We will increase our development activities as well as strengthen our operation,” he said.
Monday’s attack, which occurred between the Burkapal-Chintagufa area in the Maoist hotbed of Bastar, is the worst in seven years. In 2010, rebels killed 75 CRPF troopers in the same region. Monday’s victims were part of a 99-strong team providing security to workers building the road.
On March 11, suspected Maoist rebels ambushed a similar CRPF road opening party and killed at least 12 troopers in Sukma.
(With agency inputs)