26 killed, 60 injured in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh

Dantewara, Chhattisgarh, July 17 (UNI) In one of the worst Naxalite attacks, 26 people were killed and 60 injured when armed Maoists raided a relief camp, set ablaze houses and abducted tribals from Erabor, about 130 km from here, early today.

Sources, however, put the death toll at 30 in the attack unleashed by the outlawed Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) at the relief camp where nearly 5000 people were camping.

Police sources said armed Naxalites axed 18 people to death and shot dead two others while six people were burnt alive as the rebels set ablaze the houses in the relief camp. A large number of head of cattle also perished in the fire.

Official sources said 17 injured villagers, including seven seriously injured, were admitted to hospital at Badrachalam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, condemning the Naxalite attack as an act of 'cowardice'', announced a compensation of Rs one lakh each to the families of the victims.

The Chief Minister, who is in Kolkata, said he has taken up the matter with Union Home Ministry.

The Centre strongly condemned the attack and said the insurgent's action was a ''desperate act''.

A Home Ministry spokesman, in New Delhi, said, ''the Ministry is in touch with the state government.'' A team of doctors has also been pressed into service at the Erabor relief camp to provide first aid to the victims. Four companies of para-military forces were deployed to conduct search operations in the nearby forests to rescue scores of villagers, who were reportedly taken hostage by the Naxalites.

Dantewara district collector K S Pisda said all steps were being taken to provide relief to the victims. He said measures to provide food and shelter to people in the relief camp were also under way.

State Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam and Director General of state police Om Prakash Rathor visited the relief camp to take stock of the situation.

(EDS: Pick up suitably from earlier series) UNI XC JJ YA HT2002