Chhattisgarh Naxal attack: Kidnapped State Congress chief and son found dead, toll reaches 27

The bodies of Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son, who were kidnapped by Maoists, were found on Sunday in Jiram valley in Chhattisgarh's Bastar distirct.

According to Television channels reports, the bodies of Patel, his son Dinesh and eight others, mainly security personnel, have been recovered from Jiram valley in Bastar division.

With the recovery of the bodies, the toll in the lethal Maoist attack on a convoy of Congress leaders on Saturday has climbed to 27.

Senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma was killed and former union minister V C Shukla injured when heavily-armed Maoists ambushed a convoy of party leaders inside a dense forest in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district yesterday.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi have strongly condemned the incident. Describing the incident as a dastardly and anti-democratic act, Dr. Singh said, Government will take firm action against the perpetrators of violence.

Dr. Singh also appealed to the attackers to release, at the earliest, all those who may have been abducted. He also spoke to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and offered all help in rescue and relief operations.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi met the Prime Minister last night. Talking to media persons after the meeting Gandhi said, she is shocked, astounded and pained by the attack on Party colleagues.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited the injured persons at hospital in Raipur. He also visited Pradesh Congress Headquarters in Raipur and addressed party leaders and workers.

Meanwhile, the Congress has called a Chhattisgarh shutdown today in protest against the Naxal attack. The Party workers are holding agitations throughout the State.