Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh: A similar attack had wiped out state Congress leadership in 2013

Raipur, Oct 31: It's another election year in Chhattisgarh and another Maoist attack. On Tuesday, October 27, a cameraman from national broadcaster Doordarshan along with three policemen (one died later), were killed in a Maoist ambush in the poll-bound state of Chhattisgarh. The attack came just days after four soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force lost their lives after the extremists blew up their anti-landmine vehicle in Bijapur district of the Maoist-hit central Indian state.

In March 2018, at least nine Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed while six others were injured when the Maoists blew up a mine-protected vehicle in Sukma district.

Maoists wiped out state Congress leadership in 2013, also an election year

These attacks remind one of the devastating attack by the militants on a convoy of Congress leaders during a rally in Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh in May 2013. It was also an election year and at least 25 people, including state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, senior party leader Mahendra Karma and veteran leader and Former Union minister and senior Congress leader VC Shukla besides many others, were killed in the attack.

Thirty-two people, including 20 policemen, who were accompanying the rally convoy while it was back from Sukma to Jagdalpur, were injured in the ambush that was carried out by around 250 militants. The wiping out of the Congress leadership in the state was seen as a major factor that led to the party's defeat in the Assembly elections held later that year and even in this year's election, the current state leadership rues the tragedy of 2013.

Chhattisgarh is set to go to a two-phase election on November 12 and 20 with the results coming out on December 11.