Mahendra Karma, a powerful tribal leader of the Congress from south Chhattisgarh, who founded Salwa Judum to combat Maoists, was killed in an attack in which at least 18 party workers also died at Darbha, 400 km south of the capital, on Saturday. Senior leader Uday Mudaliar also died in the attack, Congress president Sonia Gandhi told reporters in New Delhi. While there was no official confirmation of the deaths till late on Saturday night, media sources says approx. 29 people found dead.
Besides Karma, former Congress MP Gopal Madhavan and ex-MLA from Rajnandgaon Udya Mudaliyar were also shot dead and prominent woman tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam, Bastar, wounded by the Maoists who attacked the convoy at around 1730 hours when they were returning from the party's 'Parivartan' rally. Karma, a former Home Minister and founder of "Salwa Judum" (anti-Naxal operation by vigilante groups), was surrounded by about 100 to 150 Maoists who peppered his body with bullets. The Maoists had put up road blocks by felling trees before triggering a landmine blast that hit one of the vehicles in the convoy and opening fire, police sources said. After carrying out the attack, the ultras set nearby trees on fire. The Personal Security Officers of the Congress leaders returned the fire but soon ran out of bullets becoming sitting ducks. The Maoist attack took place in a dense forest near National Highway 202 connecting Chattisgarh with Naxal-hit Bhadrachalam district in adjacent Andhra Pradesh.
Besides Karma, former Congress MP Gopal Madhavan and ex-MLA from Rajnandgaon Udya Mudaliyar were also shot dead and prominent woman tribal leader Phulo Devi Netam, Bastar, wounded by the Maoists who attacked the convoy at around 1730 hours when they were returning from the party's 'Parivartan' rally. Karma, a former Home Minister and founder of "Salwa Judum" (anti-Naxal operation by vigilante groups), was surrounded by about 100 to 150 Maoists who peppered his body with bullets. The Maoists had put up road blocks by felling trees before triggering a landmine blast that hit one of the vehicles in the convoy and opening fire, police sources said. After carrying out the attack, the ultras set nearby trees on fire. The Personal Security Officers of the Congress leaders returned the fire but soon ran out of bullets becoming sitting ducks. The Maoist attack took place in a dense forest near National Highway 202 connecting Chattisgarh with Naxal-hit Bhadrachalam district in adjacent Andhra Pradesh.
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