by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
NEW DELHI, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly condemned Wednesday's deadly attack by Naxals that left 15 policemen and a driver dead in western Indian state of Maharashtra.
The attack was carried out at Jambhulkheda-Kurkheda in Gadchiroli district, about 916 km east of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra.
According to police a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) blast triggered by Naxals Wednesday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. (local time) blew up a vehicle carrying policemen.
Modi described the attack as "despicable".
"Strongly condemn the despicable attack on our security personnel in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. I salute all the brave personnel. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten. My thoughts and solidarity are with the bereaved families. The perpetrators of such violence will not be spared," Modi said in a statement posted on twitter.
According to police officials, of the 16 dead, 15 were police commandos part of quick response team deputed to take on Naxals in the area. Photographs from the spot show parts of the vehicle blown apart.
Gadchiroli district borders Naxal affected Chhattisgarh state.
Indian home minister Rajnath Singh expressed grief over the killing of policemen in the attack and said his ministry was in touch with Maharashtra local government.
"We are providing all assistance needed by the state government. Ministry of home affairs is in constant touch with the state administration," Singh in a statement said.
Local media reports said the attack was seen as revenge for the gunfights conducted by the commando unit in the region last year in which 40 Naxal cadres were killed.
The Naxals were in the final stages of observing a week-long protest to mark the first anniversary of 40 of their slain cadres.
Maharashtra Police Chief Subodh Jaiswal while addressing media said they were fully prepared to give a befitting reply to the Wednesday's attack.
The attack comes hours after Naxals torched 25 vehicles at a road construction site in the Gadchiroli district.
Naxal insurgency has its genesis in the violent left-wing rebellion that began in 1967 at village Naxalbari in Indian state of West Bengal.
Currently Naxals are active in more than a third of India's 600-odd districts across central and eastern part.
India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh once termed the Naxalite movement as India's "greatest internal security challenge".
New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds.
The insurgency reportedly has claimed more than 6,000 lives and rendered thousands of poor inhabitants homeless.
In 2010, at least 76 men of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, the deadliest attack so far.