Chidambaram Reaches Chhattisgarh, Pays Homage to Killed Jawans

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram paid homage to the 76 CRPF jawans killed in the deadliest Naxal attack on Tuesday in the Mukrana jungles of Dantewada district and also called on some of the family members of the slain jawans, reported PTI.

Chidambaram, who flew in to Jagdalpur from New Delhi via Raipur, placed a wreath in front of the bodies of the dead jawans, report said.

Out of the 76 security personnel killed yesterday, 75 belonged to the CRPF and one was head constable of the state police deputed with the paramilitary unit.

Also, state government leaders, including Governor Shekhar Gupta, chief minister Raman Singh and senior state police and paramilitary officers, paid their respects to the dead security personnel, said report.

The home minister, who called on some of the family members of martyrs, is likely to review the Maoist menace at a high-level meeting with the state authorities, report said.

Jawans, who seemed to have walked into the Naxals’ ‘trap’, were killed when they were returning to the base camp as part of a joint operation when they under fire from hill features just about four kilometers away. They were literally caught sleeping.

The attack shook the centre and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a meeting with Chidambaram and assessed the situation. Both of them expressed shock over the attack and grief over the loss of lives.