Major Maoist attack, senior Congress leaders killed, kidnapped

Carrying out a major attack, Naxals today targeted a convoy of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur district killing the party's senior leader Mahendra Karma and injuring former union minister V C Shukla.

The Maoists also kidnapped PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son after attacking the Congress leaders at Darba Gati Valley in Jagdalpur district , police said.

A former Congress MLA Udya Mudaliyar was also shot dead by the Maoists who attacked the convoy at around 1730 hours when they were returning from a "Parivartan" rally.

Karma, a former Home Minister of the state who was a guiding force behind "Salwa Judum" (anti-Naxal operation by vigilante groups), was killed when a large number of Maoists opened fire on the rally. The burst of gunfire was preceded by a blast.
 

Shukla was reported to be at Darba Ghati police station and the nature of his injuries could not be ascertained immediately.