Maoists danced before riddling Mahendra Karma with bullets, says a survivor

Anti-Maoist Salwa Judum movement's founder Mahendra Karma was the prime target of the insurgents when they attacked the Congress convoy in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region and the rebels danced before they riddled him with bullets, a survivor said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi have already reached Medanta hospital.

Earlier in the day, Manmohan Singh had 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.