New Delhi: Five people, including BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi, have been reportedly killed on Tuesday in a Naxal attack in Dantewada district in Chattisgarh.
Head constables Ramlal Oymi and Chhaggan Kuldeep, reservist Somdu Kawasi and driver Danteshwar Maurya were also killed.
The convoy of the BJP MLA was attacked using an IED by Naxals at Nakulnar, reports say. Preliminary reports suggest that an ambush was set up by the Naxals to target the convoy.
Five personnel of the Chhattisgarh Police have been critically injured.
Chhattisgarh: BJP convoy attacked by Naxals in Dantewada. BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi was also in the convoy, further details awaited. pic.twitter.com/MhNVtar2aD
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2019
Mandavi, the sitting MLA from Dantewada, was the only BJP legislator among 12 in the Bastar region. The other 11 are all from the Congress.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has called a high-level meeting in Raipur.
The Bastar Lok Sabha seat votes on Thursday in the parliamentary elections.
BJP Dantewada MLA Bheema Mandavi was also in the convoy, further details awaited. #Chhattisgarh https://t.co/D84OHpZY4x
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2019
Just a few months ago, a Doordarshan journalist and two police personnel were killed while two others injured in an ambush by Naxals in the Aranpur sector of Dantewada district, at which point Maoists in Chhattisgarh issued a statement warning reporters against travelling with the police in the state’s interior regions.
This is a developing story, more details are awaited.