NIA will probe Chhattisgarh ambush, says Shinde

Seeking "revenge" for the security personnel's killings by Maoists in Chhattisgarh Tuesday, union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Wednesday said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) would probe the attack.

"So many jawans have lost their lives in the attack, we will take revenge...the central and state forces are working together on it," Shinde said here after paying tributes to the slain security personnel.

"We had given the earlier case where leaders were killed to the NIA and similarly this case will also be probed by the NIA," added Shinde, referring to the May 2013 Maoist attack in which 27 people, including senior Congress leaders, were massacred.

Addressing the media, Shinde said the Maoists had carried out the attack because they were "afraid" and their cadre was shrinking.

"Naxal movement is gradually weakening and their numbers are dwindling while (assembly) elections were successfully held in Bastar region recently...they are now afraid," he said.

Fifteen security men and a civilian were killed Tuesday when an estimated 300 Maoist guerrillas ambushed a patrol party of 50-55 paramilitary personnel and police on a remote stretch of a forested road in Gheeram Ghati.

The place is a short distance from the spot where the May attack took place.