CPI (Maoist) claims responsibility for Dantewada attack

The outlawed CPI (Maoist) has claimed the responsibility for Tuesday's attack in Dantewada district, wherein a BJP MLA and four police personnel were killed.

The banned outfit also accused the Central government of looting the natural resources of Bastar to benefit corporate houses and selling it to them at throwaway prices.

"Our PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerilla Army) had executed the attack (on April 9) and killed Bheema Mandavi and his four security guards. We have also recovered four weapons," said a purported statement issued by Maoists and being circulated on the social media on Friday.

Police had earlier said that three weapons, including two rifles, of the security personnel were missing after the attack.

The two-page statement was issued in the name of Sainath, secretary of Darbha division committee of Dandakaranya Special Zone of Maoists, which had been instrumental in executing several deadly attacks in south Bastar, including the deadly Jhiram valley attack in Bastar district on May 25, 2013, in which top congress leaders were killed.

In the statement, the Maoists also alleged that the government and the police had been forcibly carrying out road construction and installing mobile towers in the region, despite opposition from local villagers.

Police said the authenticity of the statement was being verified.

"The authenticity of the Naxal statement is being verified. It is nothing but just propaganda by Maoists. The banned outfit has no right to justify its act," state Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Naxals have now weakened and losing their support, which is why they are committing such acts in frustration, he said, adding, "Security forces will give a befitting reply to them."

Despite the Dantewada attack, people came out in large numbers to vote in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday which is a victory for democracy, the DIG said.

On April 9, Mandavi, an MLA from Dantewada, and four police personnel were killed when Naxals blew up their vehicle with an IED near Shyamgiri village in the district.

Despite the attack and boycott from Maoists, 57 per cent voting was recorded in Bastar constituency.