Twitter
Advertisement

Chidambaram pays homage to slain jawans in Jagdalpur

The home minister is expected to review the Maoist menace at a high-level meeting with the state authorities.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Central and state government leaders today paid their last respects to the 76 CRPF personnel killed in the deadliest Naxal attack on security forces on Tuesday in the jungles of Dantewada district.

Home minister P Chidambaram, who flew in to Jagdalpur from New Delhi via Raipur, placed a wreath in front of the bodies of the slain jawans, 75 of whom belonged to the CRPF. One head constable of the state police deputed with the paramilitary unit was also killed in the attack yesterday.

Chidambaram also met some of the family members of the dead jawans.

State governor Shekhar Dutta, chief minister Raman Singh and senior state police and paramilitary officers also paid their homage to the personnel.

The home minister is expected to review the Maoist menace at a high-level meeting with the state authorities.

The personnel, who appeared to have walked into the naxal's "trap", were killed when they were literally caught sleeping in the Mukrana forests of Dantewada district, one of the strongholds of the naxals.

The personnel were returning to the base camp as part of a joint operation when they came under fire from hill features just about four kilometres away.

Virtually an entire company of the CRPF was wiped out when 75 of its personnel including Deputy Commandant Satyawan Singh Yadav and Assistant Commandant BL Meena were killed.

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.

Prime Minister had called it a "horrific" incident. Chidambaram, rattled by the "very high" casualty, said something must have gone "drastically wrong" in the joint operation as the personnel seemed to have walked into a trap.

The mood was sombre as the home minister arrived at the ground this morning in Jagdalpur, 315 kms from the state capital Raipur. Silently, the 64-year-old Chidambaram walked up to the coffins of the CRPF personnel which were draped in the tri-colour.

As he placed a wreath, a CRPF bugle sounded the 'Last Post' to bid adieu to the soldiers. A paramilitary contingent then reversed arms in honour of their fallen colleagues.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement