BJP MLA killed in Maoist ambush in Dantewada

A BJP legislator along with his three private security officers and driver of his vehicle was killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.

The incident took place at about 4.45 pm when BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi’s convoy was crossing the Nakulnar village on the Dantewada-Sukma road and heading to a locality in the Maoist hinterland.

The Maoists, who had laid an ambush, blew up the BJP legislator’s vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED) and opened fire at the security personnel who were following Mandavi in another vehicle.

The blast was so powerful that it ripped apart the bullet-proof vehicle. The bodies were scattered away from the big crater created by the explosion.

As the Maoists opened fire, security personnel travelling with Mandavi in another vehicle in the convoy retaliated. The exchange of fire between a group of some 20-25 Maoists and security forces continued for about half an hour.

The Maoists had fled the spot by the time police reached and began search for the security personnel. The bodies of Mandavi and four others were later sent for autopsy.

Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallav told reporters that Mandavi had been advised not to visit the area as there was an intelligence input about a possible Maoist attack but he ignored it and went ahead with his plan.

The Maoist attack comes two days before the polling for the Bastar Lok Sabha seat was scheduled to be held on April 11.

A team of Congress leaders and workers were also campaigning at a nearby locality when the Maoists ambushed the BJP legislator.

The incident created panic in the Bastar region as the Maoists had given a call for boycotting polls a few days ago, threatening people with dire consequences if they cast their votes.

The incident was reminiscent of the killing of 27 people, including former Union minister V C Shukla and senior Congress leader and architect of Salwa Judum Mahendra Karma, by the Maoists in Bastar in May 2013 ahead of the state assembly polls.

A blame game over the killing of the BJP legislator broke out between the ruling Congress and the BJP.

Demanding a CBI probe into the incident, BJP leaders in the state alleged that Mandavi was killed by the Maoists under a conspiracy by the Congress. They also lashed out at Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for his recent remark that “bullet for bullet” was not an answer to the Naxal problem in the states.

The Congress leaders rejected the charge, alleging that the Maoists spread their wings from three districts to 13 districts in the last 15 years in the state because of the wrong policies of the BJP government under chief minister Raman Singh.