Naxals "repent" killing polling staff in Chhattisgarh

Two days after killing seven polling staff in Bastar, Naxalites had tendered apology stating that they had mistaken staff with security personnel.

On Saturday, rebels in a twin attack in restive Bastar killed 14 people. The victim included seven polling staff, five CRPF jawans and two staff deployed with emergency medical services.

In Ketulnaar of Bijapur district, rebels blew up the bus in which the polling staff was returning after conducting elections in the red zone. After killing civilians, Naxalites had been apologizing and a call was expected for Saturday incident too.

"We got the wrong information that security personnel were on board in the bus," Naxal spokesperson Gudsa Usendi said in a statement issued to the media said. They tender apology publicly for the lapse, he added. The organisation (Naxal outfit) would probe how and where the lapse occurred, Usendi said.

The Naxal spokesperson said the teachers who were party of polling staff killed in the incident was not their enemy. The rebels had not targeted them intentionally, he said, adding that it was a case of mistaken identity that resulted in the incident.

Usendi said the party cadre had been instructed to maintain maximum precaution to protect the civilians, polling parties in its fight against the security personnel.

The rebels had also tendered apology for the killing of ambulance driver and medical technician who died with the five CRPF personnel when Naxal blew up the vehicle in Darbha the same day.