Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh condemned the killings of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Sukma district and said he would visit Chhattisgarh on Tuesday to take stock of the situation.
Mr. Singh said about 15 CRPF personnel were killed in the attack carried out by Maoists who used innocent villagers as human shields.
“I am waiting for a detailed report,” he told reports in Lucknow, adding that he could not travel to Chhattisgarh on Monday due to logistical constraints.
Earlier, through his twitter account, the Home Minister said:
Deeply saddened and disturbed to know of 13 CRPF men being killed by the Naxals during an ongoing encounter in Chhattisgarh.
— Rajnath Singh (@BJPRajnathSingh) >December 1, 2014
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also expressed shock and anguish over the killings. “Extending her condolences to the family of the martyrs, Ms. Gandhi expressed hope that the injured were being adequately treated. She demanded that the government look into all aspects of the ghastly incident,” said a Congress statement.
(With additional reporting from Sandeep Joshi in Lucknow)
