Govt. will take firm action against perpetrators of violence of any kind: PM

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has condemned the Maoist strike on Congress leaders and workers in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur district, and said that the Government will take firm action against the perpetrators of violence of any kind.

In a statement, Dr. Singh said: "I very strongly condemn the violent attack on Congress leaders and workers in Chhattisgarh. My deepest sympathies and prayers are with the families of those who have lost their lives."

"I wish a very speedy recovery to those who have been injured in the dastardly attack; including senior Congress leader Shri V. C. Shukla," he added.

Dr. Singh further said: "I have spoken to the Chief Minister of the state and urged him to provide all possible assistance to those who have been injured and to ensure the security and safety of those who have been abducted."

Dr. Singh also appealed to the attackers to release all those who may have been abducted at the earliest.

At least 17 people, including senior Congress leader Nand Kumar Patel, Mahendra Karma, were killed and former union minister V C Shukla and 19 others injured when heavily-armed Maoists ambushed a convoy of party leaders inside a dense forest in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district.

The body of Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, who was kidnapped along with his son after Maoists ambushed a convoy of party leaders, was found on Sunday in a forest in Bastar district. The body has been spotted near Darba Gati Valley, police said.