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15 Security Personnel, Driver Killed By Maoists in Gadchiroli: Maharashtra Day Celebrations Cancelled

FIFTEEN Policemen and their driver were killed in Eastern Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district bordering Naxalite affected Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, May 1, after a powerful explosion triggered by Maoists. Their vehicle was blown off. Preliminary enquiry has revealed an improvised explosive device (IED) blast was set off on a private vehicle when a team of the C-60 Quick Response Team of the Gadchiroli police was on way to inspect a fleet of vehicles torched by Maoists earlier in the day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the attack is “despicable” .The “perpetrators of such violence will not be spared”. This is the fourth Maoist attack in Gadchiroli since the national election began on April 11. The same day, an encounter broke out between CRPF personnel and Naxals in the Naxal affected district of Gadchiroli. In January this year, Naxals set ablaze vehicles in the villages of Kurkheda, Korchi and Potegaon. Opposition parties have slammed the NDA government for alleged failure to tackle the Maoists. The attack followed hours after Naxalites set ablaze about 30 machines and vehicles at a road construction site in Kurkheda of Gadchiroli district. The QRT was travelling to inspect the torched vehicles but was ambushed on its way. Police teams rushed to the spot to help in evacuation work. Subodh Jaiswal, Maharashtra’s Director General of Police said, “We are prepared to give a befitting reply to this attack (Gadchiroli Naxal attack). Operations are going on in the area to ensure that no further casualties take place.””It would not be right to term this as an intelligence failure. It is a dastardly attack, we will try our best that such incidents are not repeated. Our people are present at the spot,” added Jaiswal. Besides PM Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Cong President Rahul Gandhi have condemned the attack. Maharashtra governor has cancelled the reception to be held at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of Maharashtra Day. The attack comes a year after around 40 Naxals were killed in a police encounter near Kasnasur village at the Maharashtra Chhattisgarh border in Gadchiroli district (Image courtesy : The Hindu).

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