Centre seeks report from Chhattisgarh on Maoist attack

The centre has sought a detailed report from the Chhattisgarh government on the Saturday evening incident in which a large number of Maoists attacked a Congress party convoy, killing at least 16 people and injuring 25, official sources said Sunday.

According to home ministry sources, a detailed report into the incident has been sought from the state government.

They said Minister of State for Home R.P.N. Singh and senior ministry officials are visiting the state to take stock of the situation.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi flew in to Raipur, the state capital, and visited the injured in hospital Sunday.

A convoy of Congress leaders, returning to Jagdalpur after holding a rally near the southern Sukma town, not far from the Andhra Pradesh border, was ambushed in a dense forested area around 5.15 p.m. Saturday.

Heavily-armed Maoists carried out a landmine blast and then opened fire, killing 16 people - including Congress leader Mahendra Karma and another party leader - and injuring 25 others.

Congress leader and former union cabinet minister V.C. Shukla was critically injured in the incident. Shukla took three bullets in the indiscriminate firing by the Maoists.

The state is headed for assembly elections later this year.