<p>Fifteen police personnel and a driver were killed after Maoists triggered an IED blast in the Kurkheda tehsil of the Naxalite-infested Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra on Wednesday. </p>.<p>The attack took place when a Quick Response Team (QRT) attached to the C-60 specialised commando unit was moving in a private van between Jambhorkheda and Lendhari villages.</p>.<p>Tension was brewing in the Kurkheda tehsil since Tuesday when Maoist cadres torched nearly 37 private vehicles, trucks, heavy vehicles and construction material on the Dadapur stretch along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh highway. After the incident, police patrol and movement was enhanced. The police party was killed as it passed over the landmine.</p>.<p><strong>Timeline | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/timeline-major-naxal-attacks-in-maharashtra-731616.html" target="_blank">Major Naxal attacks in Maharashtra</a></strong></p>.<p>Reports reaching Mumbai said that the incident took place between 12 noon and 12.30 pm when the vehicle was nearing a culvert. Villagers also heard gunfire after the blast. However, there is no independent confirmation.</p>.<p>Expressing shock over the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the sacrifice of brave soldiers would not be forgotten and the perpetrators of such violence would not be spared.</p>.<p>Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said it was a cowardly attack. “We will fight this menace with even more and stronger efforts,” he said. </p>.<p>He also spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and briefed him of the situation.</p>.<p>The attack coincides with the Maharashtra Day (May 1).</p>.<p><strong>No intelligence failure</strong></p>.<p>Director General of Police Subodh Jaiswal denied that the attack was a result of intelligence failure, but said that the police were ready to give a reply. “It is a big loss... we are ready to give a befitting reply (to the Maoists),” he said. “I cannot call it an intelligence failure... we will take whatever action is needed,” he said.</p>.<p><strong>Questions on basics, SOPs</strong></p>.<p>Hours after the ghastly attack, questions were raised about the basics and SOPs (standard operating procedures) not being followed and the hiring of a private vehicle when tensions were mounting.</p>.<p>Minister of State for Home (Rural) Deepak Kesarkar said that it would be probed how the information on the route of the commando vehicle leaked out and also why the C-60 QRT was travelling in a private van.</p>.<p>“Why was a private vehicle hired? Was the driver familiar with the route? Was he aware of the basics of driving on such routes,” asked intelligence expert Shirish Inamdar, a former additional deputy commissioner of State Intelligence Department.</p>.<p>Generally, when a QRT moves, there has to be a road clearance party. “It needs to be known whether the superiors had taken care of the basics and SOPs,” he said.<br /><br /><strong>ALSO READ</strong></p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/naxal-attack-rajnath-assures-maha-all-assistance-731618.html" target="_blank">Naxal attack: Rajnath assures Maha all assistance</a></strong></p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/naxal-menace-will-be-dealt-with-stronger-force-maha-cm-731619.html" target="_blank">Naxal menace will be dealt with stronger force: Maha CM</a></strong></p>
<p>Fifteen police personnel and a driver were killed after Maoists triggered an IED blast in the Kurkheda tehsil of the Naxalite-infested Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra on Wednesday. </p>.<p>The attack took place when a Quick Response Team (QRT) attached to the C-60 specialised commando unit was moving in a private van between Jambhorkheda and Lendhari villages.</p>.<p>Tension was brewing in the Kurkheda tehsil since Tuesday when Maoist cadres torched nearly 37 private vehicles, trucks, heavy vehicles and construction material on the Dadapur stretch along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh highway. After the incident, police patrol and movement was enhanced. The police party was killed as it passed over the landmine.</p>.<p><strong>Timeline | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/timeline-major-naxal-attacks-in-maharashtra-731616.html" target="_blank">Major Naxal attacks in Maharashtra</a></strong></p>.<p>Reports reaching Mumbai said that the incident took place between 12 noon and 12.30 pm when the vehicle was nearing a culvert. Villagers also heard gunfire after the blast. However, there is no independent confirmation.</p>.<p>Expressing shock over the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the sacrifice of brave soldiers would not be forgotten and the perpetrators of such violence would not be spared.</p>.<p>Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said it was a cowardly attack. “We will fight this menace with even more and stronger efforts,” he said. </p>.<p>He also spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and briefed him of the situation.</p>.<p>The attack coincides with the Maharashtra Day (May 1).</p>.<p><strong>No intelligence failure</strong></p>.<p>Director General of Police Subodh Jaiswal denied that the attack was a result of intelligence failure, but said that the police were ready to give a reply. “It is a big loss... we are ready to give a befitting reply (to the Maoists),” he said. “I cannot call it an intelligence failure... we will take whatever action is needed,” he said.</p>.<p><strong>Questions on basics, SOPs</strong></p>.<p>Hours after the ghastly attack, questions were raised about the basics and SOPs (standard operating procedures) not being followed and the hiring of a private vehicle when tensions were mounting.</p>.<p>Minister of State for Home (Rural) Deepak Kesarkar said that it would be probed how the information on the route of the commando vehicle leaked out and also why the C-60 QRT was travelling in a private van.</p>.<p>“Why was a private vehicle hired? Was the driver familiar with the route? Was he aware of the basics of driving on such routes,” asked intelligence expert Shirish Inamdar, a former additional deputy commissioner of State Intelligence Department.</p>.<p>Generally, when a QRT moves, there has to be a road clearance party. “It needs to be known whether the superiors had taken care of the basics and SOPs,” he said.<br /><br /><strong>ALSO READ</strong></p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/naxal-attack-rajnath-assures-maha-all-assistance-731618.html" target="_blank">Naxal attack: Rajnath assures Maha all assistance</a></strong></p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/naxal-menace-will-be-dealt-with-stronger-force-maha-cm-731619.html" target="_blank">Naxal menace will be dealt with stronger force: Maha CM</a></strong></p>
