Shinde pays tributes to Naxal attack martyrs

Raipur, Mar 12: A day after the

attack in Chhatisgarh killed 15 security personnel, Union Home Minister

and

Chief Minister Raman Singh paid tribute to the martyrs at Jagdalpur in Bastar district.

Shinde arrived at the city airport and held a brief meeting with Raman Singh and State Home Minister Ramsevak Paikra over the incident and later went to Jagdalpur. Tributes were paid to the martyrs at the police parade ground in Jagdalpur, the administrative headquarter of Bastar district this morning, senior police officers told Bhasha/PTI here today.

Sushil Kumar Shinde, Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt members of the state cabinet paid their respect to the martyrs at the wreath-laying ceremony. Immediately afterwards, Shinde and Singh left for his office, where the Union Home Minister would hold a meeting with the officials and review the situation.

Meanwhile, police officials in Sukma said a combing operation has been launched to trace the Naxals involved in yesterday's attack. In a brazen daytime attack, as many as 16 people -- 11 CRPF personnel, four state police and one civilian -- were gunned down by Naxals yesterday in Jeerum Nallah area of Sukma district, 400 kilometres from the state capital Raipur.

Chhattisgarh government has ordered a high-level departmental inquiry into the Naxal attack.

PTI