MHA spokesperson on Wednesday's Naxal incident in Orissa

New Delhi, July 17 : The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday sought a report from the Orissa Government about Wednesday's Naxal incident in which at least 24 policemen were killed when a landmine exploded under a security vehicle in State's Malkangiri District.

Senior officers of the Home Ministry including Home Secretary, Madhukar Gupta and Special Secretary (Internal Security), M.L. Kumawat are in close touch with the DGP and other senior officers of the Orissa Government.

Necessary assistance including helicopter support has been arranged for the Orissa Government.

They are also utilising the central forces stationed in Orissa.

A massive combing operation has been launched following Wednesday's Maoists attack. The search operation to nab the Maoists is being jointly launched by Special operation group units and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Mottu police station area.

Additional police forces are being mobilised to strengthen the combing operation in the area.

On June 29, 33 cops died when Maoists attacked their boat in Malkangiri district.

Sixty-six people including 63 policemen were on the boat, which had sunk into the reservoir after a Maoist attack in. Out of them 28 survived.

Also known as Naxalites, they say they are fighting on behalf of the rural poor and landless and want to build a communist state.

The government has recently taken a new stance on the Maoist insurgency, pulling the affected states together to coordinate their response. It says it will combine improved policing with socio-economic measures to defuse grievances that fuel the Maoist cause.

ANI