In a ghastly IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blast carried out by Naxals on Kurkheda-Korchi road in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra today, around 16 security personnel and a driver have reportedly lost their lives. The landmine blast blew up two vehicles carrying a team of the C-60 commandoes, an anti-Naxal unit, who were patrolling the area.
#UPDATE | 15 security personnel killed in IED blast by Maoists in #Gadchiroli
Read: https://t.co/rTlvXtMp0h pic.twitter.com/ondsRIaQvY
— Times of India (@timesofindia) May 1, 2019
Earlier there were reports that 10 security personnel were injured in the blast. The cowardly attack is believed to have been carried out by the Naxals in retaliation to the killing of 40 Maoists by the security forces on April 22, 2018, near Bhamragarh in the district. The injured were immediately shifted to a civil hospital in Gadchiroli and reinforcements were rushed to the spot.
#UPDATE Exchange of fire underway between Police and Naxals at the site of blast in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. https://t.co/KB3rT3Gdna
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2019
Heavy exchange of fire is reportedly underway between the Police and the Naxals at the site of the blast. Before the blast, the Naxals had also torched at least 27 vehicles of a road construction company at Kurkheda in Gadchiroli district. The targeted vehicles were engaged in construction works for the Purada-Yerkad sector of NH 136 near Dadapur village.
Maharashtra: Naxals have set ablaze 27 machines and vehicles at a road construction site in Kurkheda of Gadchiroli district. pic.twitter.com/62c6iNuJU2
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2019
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the security personnel and said that the guilty will not be spared.
PM Modi: Strongly condemn despicable attack on our security personnel in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. Salute all brave personnel.Their sacrifices will never be forgotten. My thoughts & solidarity are with bereaved families. Perpetrators of such violence will not be spared (file pic) pic.twitter.com/mbkyG7XZLA
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2019
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis also expressed his condolence for the martyrs and their families.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis: Anguished to know that our 16 police personnel from Gadchiroli C-60 force got martyred in a cowardly attack by naxals today. My thoughts and prayers are with the martyrs’ families. I’m in touch with DGP and Gadchiroli SP. pic.twitter.com/5l6t0eShBe
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2019
Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal said that the security forces are prepared to give a befitting reply for this dastardly attack and that operations are going on in the area to make sure that no further casualties take place.
Subodh Jaiswal, DGP Maharashtra: We are prepared to give a befitting reply to this attack (Gadchiroli Naxal attack); Operations are going on in the area to ensure that no further casualties take place. pic.twitter.com/wZeKfEzAh2
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2019
Last month Maoists had shot dead a polling party member and set ablaze three poll vehicles ahead of Phase -2 elections in Odisha. Before that on April 9, Maoists had triggered a powerful IED blast in Chhattisgarh which had killed five persons, including BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi.
