After deadly Naxal attack in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh CM chairs high-level meeting

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel held a high-level meeting here on Wednesday evening to review the situation after a Naxal attack in Dantewada district in the afternoon left 10 police personnel and a civilian driver dead, an official said.

During the meeting, also attended by the state Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu, the CM reviewed various aspects linked to the latest attack, the public relations department official said.

Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Director General of Police Ashok Juneja, Secretary to CM Ankit Anand and Inspector General (Intelligence) Ajay Yadav, among others, were present, he said.

Baghel and Home Minister Sahu will pay homage to the slain personnel in Dantewada on Thursday, the official added.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Baghel following the incident.

Ten police personnel and a civilian driver were killed after Naxals blew up a vehicle which was part of a convoy carrying security personnel in the Aranpur police station area of Dantewada district in the afternoon.

The deceased security personnel belonged to the District Reserve Guard -- an anti-Naxal unit of the state police. The area where the blast took place is around 450 km from state capital Raipur.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Chief Minister Baghel told reporters earlier in the day that fight against Naxalism was in its last phase, and Maoists will not be spared under any circumstances.

"We will work in a coordinated way and eliminate Naxalism," asserted the Congress leader.

Baghel, who was scheduled to leave for poll-bound Karnataka on Wednesday evening to campaign for his party, cancelled his visit.