Nation pays homage to 76 dead CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh

JAGADALPUR - Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt, Chief Minister Raman Singh, CRPF chief Vikram Srivastav, senior police and Home Ministry officials and others, on Wednesday led the nation in paying homage to the 76 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, who were killed by Maoists through a landmine explosion in the forests of the state’s Dantewada District on Tuesday morning.

The entire gathering, including hundreds of CRPF personnel became emotional as a platoon was ordered to observe ‘Shok Shastra,’ (homage and reversal of arms) and the Last Post was sounded in memory of those killed by the rebels.

The deadliest ever Maoist attack on security forces left 76 CRPF personnel and a local policeman dead in the thick forests near the remote village of Chintalnar-Tarmetla in Dantewada District.

The force was barely able to offer a fight in a dawn ambush along a road.

Chidambaram along with Raman Singh are chairing a high-level review meeting in Raipur.

The CRPF is likely to announce a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the incident.

In New Delhi, Chidambaram had admitted that something must have gone drastically wrong to facilitate such a dastardly attack.

“They seem to have walked into a trap,” he said.

The Centre has resolved to give a befitting reply to Tuesday’s attack and is reportedly set to launch a major hunt for Maoists.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said they would cooperate with the Government in ending the Maoist menace. (ANI)