The Maoist attack on police in Palamau district was an act of cowardice and will not affect the morale of police, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said.
The "cowardly act" will not affect the morale of either the police or the government, he said in a statement here.
Condemning the IED blast by the rebels that had claimed the lives of seven people in Palamau district last night, Das said his government would deal strongly with such elements.
He said he would even now appeal to those who had strayed away to return to the mainstream but asserted that those challenging the rule of law would be dealt with sternly.
This was the first major strike by the red rebels this year.
