Hundreds of Chhattisgarh Naxals attacked a convoy of Congress leaders during the party’s Parivartan Rally in Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur on Saturday and killed at least 25 people, including state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and senior party leader Mahendra Karma.
Patel had been missing since the attack. His body was found in the morning near the site of the attack. State Congress spokesperson Rajesh Bissa said Patel’s son was found dead this morning. Thirty two people, including 20 policemen, who were accompanying the convoy, were also injured in the attack.
Karma was a local tribal leader, who spearheaded the controversial anti-Naxalite movement Salwa Judum. He had served as the state’s home minister when the Congress was in power. He had Z-plus security. Former Union minister VC Shukla was injured in the attack and was air-lifted to state capital Raipur. He was today brought to Delhi for further treatment.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi reached Raipur and met Shukla and other injured at the hospital. He termed it as an attack on democracy. President, Prim Minister and many opposition leaders have condemned the attack.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh also condemned the Naxal attack and said that it was an attack on the democratic values which needed to be condemned by not only political parties, but society as a whole.
He expressed condolence over the killing of party State Congress Chief Nand Kumar Patel and senior party leader Mahendra Karma. He said that the Naxalites would not be able to weaken the Congress Party Worker’s confidence and their morale by attacking in this manner.
He wished early recovery of former Union Minister VC Shukla and other injured in the attack. He also expressed concern over the inadequate security provided to the Congress leaders who were taking out the Parivartan Yatra in the State despite Naxal threats.
