At least 16 people, including 15 security personnel and a private vehicle driver, were killed in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in Gadchiroli district Wednesday, police said. The blast took place at Jambhulpada village in Kurkheda block of Gadchiroli at 12.30pm.
Condemning the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said perpetrators of such violence will not be spared. "Strongly condemn the despicable attack on our security personnel in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. I salute all the brave personnel. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten," he tweeted.
Those killed were members of the Quick Response Team (QRT) of Gadchiroli police, which was on way to inspect a fleet of torched vehicles belonging to a road construction contractor, police said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured all help to the Maharashtra government in the wake of the Naxal attack. He termed the attack an act of cowardice and desperation.
The home minister also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who briefed him about the incident.
This is the second major Maoist attack since the beginning of the Lok Sabha elections. A BJP MLA and five security personnel in his convoy were killed in a Maoist attack in Bastar of Chhattisgarh on April 9.
Earlier in the day, Naxals had torched around 25 vehicles of a road construction company in Gadchiroli. The incident took place at Dadapur in Kurkheda tehsil, Shailesh Balkawade, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli told PTI.
"A group of Maoists gathered around 3.30 am at Dadapur where the construction of a national highway has been going on since the last few months," he said. They torched the vehicles, which were parked along the road, using kerosene and diesel, the officer added.
"After setting the vehicles on fire, the Naxals escaped into the forest. A search operation has been launched," he said.
A formal complaint about the incident is yet to be lodged, Balkawade said.
(With inputs from PTI)
