Naxal killing a conspiracy : Koda

RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister on Saturday termed the naxal attack at Chilkhadih, in which 17 people were killed including former Jharkhand chief minster's son, as a 'conspiracy' and said he had spoken to his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar seeking assistance for joint raids as the spot is near the inter-state borders.
    
"The sequence of happenings emit the smell of a conspiracy. But it can be known only after a thorough probe. I have sent our Director General of Police (V D Ram) for a on-the-spot inspection," Koda said at his residence here without elaborating about conspiracy by whom.
    
Among those killed by the naxals was Anup, the son of former chief minister Babulal Marandi.
    
Koda iterated his resolution to root out extremism in Jharkhand and sought the help from the people.
    
Condemning the killing of innocent villagers, he said the naxals were frustrated following the recent arrests of its top leaders.
    
"The naxals are also frustrated as their two training camps - one at Latehar and another at Dalma were destroyed recently," he said.
    
Those people, including politicians, who face naxal threat should inform the nearest police station before going to any public function so that adequate number of policemen were deployed, Koda said.
    
Asked whether he saw any new strategy by naxals in attacking after football matches, which are popular among the people, Koda repeated his take on conspiracy.
    
Koda said he had spoken to Marandi whose son and brother, who escaped the attack, had gone to the cultural programme organised after a football match held on Friday afternoon.
    
The chief minister would visit the spot during the day.