Condolences pour in for the CRPF personnel slain and injured in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh

Carrying out one of the deadliest attacks in recent times, Maoists killed 25 CRPF jawans in a forest area of Sukma district on Monday.

Six CRPF personnel, critically injured in the incident, are now battling for life.

A soldier, who survived the attack, said there were about 300 Maoists, who carried out the operation when CRPF men were guarding road workers.

Accompanied by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, the Union Home Minister visited the injured soldiers, who are being treated at the Ramkrishna Care Hospital in Raipur .

"Their sacrifices will not go in vain," said Rajnath Singh while paying tribute to the CRPF personnel killed.

The Home Minister said that the attack in Sukma is a cold blooded murder by  Left Wing Extremism (LWE) groups and it is an act of cowardice.

He said that it is an act of desperation and the government has accepted it as a challenge.

He said that the government will review the strategy and if necessary, will revisit it.

Rajnath Singh said that the government is working to root out the problem of Left Wing Extremism.

The LWE groups are anti-development and they do not want development in the area, he said.

Later, Shri Rajnath Singh visited the injured CRPF personnel and enquired about their health.

The Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh also reviewed the LWE situation in the state at a meeting in Raipur on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, called the attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh as cowardly and deplorable.

He praised the valour of the CRPF personnel and said that the sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain.

“Attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh is cowardly and deplorable. We are monitoring the situation closely. We are proud of the valour of our CRPF personnel. The sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. Condolences to their families. May those injured in today's attack in Chhattisgarh recover at the earliest”, the Prime Minister said.

President Pranab Mukherjee, on Monday, tweeted, "Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased & prayers for injured."

He also wrote to the Governor of Chhattisgarh, Balramji Dass Tandon, saying, “I am distressed to learn about the attack in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh in which a number of CRPF personnel lost their lives and several are injured.

In this moment of grief, I offer my profound condolences to the families of the CRPF jawans who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. May the Almighty give them the strength and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. I also pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.

I am sure the State Government and other concerned agencies are taking necessary measures to assist the bereaved families and provide medical assistance to the injured. Please keep me informed of developments in the above regard."

On Tuesday, Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari condemned the attack on CRPF personnel.

In a message, he said that there cannot be any justification for such heinous and reprehensible acts and the perpetrators must be found and punished for their crimes.

School students in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, paid tribute to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives, according to media reports.

Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje tweeted, "Salute the martyrdom of our @crpfindia Jawans who sacrificed their lives for our Motherland in Sukma. Sincere condolences to their families."

She also paid separate tributes to two of the slain soldiers who were from Rajasthan.

The IPS Association tweeted, "Attack on @crpfindia braveheaerts in #Sukma is deplorable and should be dealt with sternly. Our prayers with families. @PMOIndia @HMOIndia."

Tweeted Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag, "These 25 CRPF jawaans had their children,their homes & their dreams.We have let these soldiers down.Hope we tackle this in the way, it works," along with a picture of the slain security personnel.

While his former fellow player and now politician, Harbhajan Singh tweeted, "A cowardly attack on the CRPF jawans. Condolences to the families who lost their kin in the #SukmaAttack."

Tweeted author Chetan Bhagat, "25 CRPF soldiers killed in #sukmaattack. We must retaliate. Teach an unforgettable lesson to the people who did it  - Don't mess with India."

The Congress did not miss the opportunity to take a dig at the Union government. On its official twitter handle, INC India, it said, "The lack of a full time chief of CRPF underpins the Govt's lack of vision to combat extremist violence in India."

Image: PIB