Key Chhattisgarh Congress leaders killed in Naxal attack

V C Shukla critically injured, state Cong chief abducted

In one of the deadliest Naxal attacks in Chhattisgarh, extremists on Saturday ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in restive Sukma district and reportedly killed former leader of Opposition in the state, Mahendra Karma, and former legislator Uday Mudaliar.

Karma, who had spearheaded the controversial Salwa Judum movement against Naxals, had been a target of the red army for some time. The Congress leaders were on a "Parivartan Yatra" - launched with the aim to unseat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh -in the Bastar region.
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PM, Sonia condemn Naxal attack
 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday talked to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and asked him if any Central assistance is required by the state in the wake of the Maoist attack on Congress leaders.

 

UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi condemned the incident, saying it was an attack on the democratic values.

 

PMO sources said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up Raman Singh soon after the Maoist attack. He asked the Chief Minister if more central forces are required urgently by the Chhattisgarh government, the sources said.

 

The Congress president expressed shock and anguish over the dastardly attack in Chhattisgarh on party workers.

 

"It is an attack on democratic values which need to be condemned by not only political parties, but society as a whole," Gandhi said in a statement. (PTI)

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A senior police official said Mahendra Karma and Uday Mudaliar, besides Gopi Madwani, a party worker, sustained bullet injuries and died on the spot. Former Union minister Vidya Charan Shukla and sitting legislator from Konta Kawasi Lakma were also hit by bullets. The condition of both the leaders was reported to be critical.

Congress spokesperson Ramesh Varlyani said the yatra was proceeding towards Sukma when the rebels attacked the convoy near Darba ghat at around 3 pm on Saturday. The rebels detonated landmines before opening indiscriminate fire on the convoy, leaving no room for the security personnel to retaliate.
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Home Ministry rushing additional forces to Chhattisgarh

 

The Union Home Ministry on Saturday night said it is rushing additional paramilitary forces to help launch a combing operation for release of abducted leaders.

 

"Home Ministry has sent additional forces to Chhattisgarh to assist the local administration in launching combing operations for rescue of kidnapped persons," Home Ministry sources said adding "the state government has been assured of all help".

 

The Home Ministry has also sought a report from the state government on today's violence. The MHA officials are in regular touch with state government officials and are monitoring the situation. (PTI)
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Unconfirmed reports said Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nandkumar Patel, also hit by bullets, had been abducted by the Naxals.

Former chief minister, Ajit Jogi, blamed the state government for the lapse and said the police had not made any arrangement for the security of Congress leaders.