In the fourth attack by Maoists since the general elections began, 15 policemen of the C-60 Quick Response Team of the Gadchiroli police and their driver were killed on Wednesday in Maharashtra.
The Maoists, with the help of an improvised explosive device (IED), blew up the vehicle in which the police team was travelling. The team was on its way to the spot where the Maoists had earlier in the day, torched 25 vehicles parked by the roadside.
The Maoists have been observing a week-long protest for the first anniversary of gunning down of 40 of their members on April 22, 2018 by C-60 quick response team of Gadchiroli police in what was then termed as one of the biggest anti-Maoists operations in Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly condemned the attack. In a tweet the PM wrote, “Strongly condemn the despicable attack on our security personnel in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten… the perpetrators of such violence will not be spared.”
The Maoists, with the help of an improvised explosive device (IED), blew up the vehicle in which the police team was travelling. The team was on its way to the spot where the Maoists had earlier in the day, torched 25 vehicles parked by the roadside.
The Maoists have been observing a week-long protest for the first anniversary of gunning down of 40 of their members on April 22, 2018 by C-60 quick response team of Gadchiroli police in what was then termed as one of the biggest anti-Maoists operations in Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly condemned the attack. In a tweet the PM wrote, “Strongly condemn the despicable attack on our security personnel in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten… the perpetrators of such violence will not be spared.”
Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister, spoke to the chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis and assured him of all possible assistance.
On April 11, an IED blast was set off by the Maoists near a polling booth in Gadchiroli before the election process began. A day before that, a CRPF jawan was critically injured in an IED blast in Gadchiroli.
On Tuesday, a BJP legislator and four security personnel were killed in an IED blast in neighboring Chattisgarh’s Dhantewada district.
