Raman Singh reviews security of Naxal-affected areas

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Wednesday reviewed the security situation following the Naxal attack in Dantewada district of the state.

Singh convened a meeting of senior officials at his residence here and directed them to carry out operations against the Naxals with more vigour. Those present at the meeting included Chief Secretary Ajay Singh, Principal Secretary to Home Department Amitabh Jain, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Aman Kumar Singh, Director General of Police AN Upadhyay, Special Director General (Naxal Operations) DM Awasthi and Additional Director General of Police Ashok Juneja.

All present in the meeting expressed grief and condemned yesterday's killings. In total four persons died so far in an ambush in the forests of Aranpur village in poll-bound Dantewada district, a Maoist hotbed in the heavily forested central Indian state.

Those who were killed in the attack included two policemen -- Sub Inspector Rudrapratap Singh and constable Mangaluram -- along with Doordarshan video journalist Achyutanand Sahu. Another policeman succumbed to his injuries this morning. The attack had taken place around 11 am.

Special Director General (Naxal Operations) Awasthi had informed that the ambush seemed to target the road construction works in the region. He also revealed that a lot of blood was found at the spot, suggesting that around two-three Naxals were smoked out in the fire exchange with security forces.