Raman Singh Orders Tough Action On Maoists Day After 4 Killed In Attack

A day after the Maoist attack in Dantewada district which claimed four lives, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today convened an emergency meeting of officials and asked them to intensify operations against Maoists.

Mr Singh held the meeting with senior bureaucrats and police personnel at his official residence, where he reviewed the law and order situation. He directed them to intensify operations against Maoists, a government public relation official told news agency PTI.

Maoists on Tuesday attacked a police patrol party accompanying a three-member team of employees from national broadcaster Doordarshan for election related coverage, near Nilawaya village under Aranapur police station limits of Chhattisgarh's Dantewada at around 11 am.

Two policemen - Sub Inspector Rudra Pratap Singh, assistant constable Manglu and the cameraman of Doordarshan Achyutanand Sahu were killed on the spot. Of the two injured policemen, an assistant constable Rakesh Kaushal died at a private hospital this morning.

During the meeting, the chief minister condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of the martyred personnel and the media person, the official said.

Chief Secretary Ajay Singh, Principal Secretary (Home) Amitabh Jain, Principal Secretary to the CM Aman Singh, Director General of Police (DGP) AN Upadhyay, Special DG (anti-naxal operations) DM Awasthi and states Additional Director General (Intelligence) Ashok Juneja were present at the meeting.

Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh are scheduled to held next month in two phases - on November 12 and 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 11.

Maoists have called upon voters to boycott the polls in the state.