RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today strongly condemned the "cowardly and shameful" attack by Maoists on CRPF personnel in Sukma and said Naxals were afraid that development works will put an end to their activities.
Nine Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed today after suspected Naxals blew up their mine-protected vehicle in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, around a year after a dozen jawans were killed in a similar ambush in the district.
Two other jawans suffered injuries in the attack.
"The martyrdom of security personnel who sacrificed their lives while discharging their duties will always be remembered," the chief minister said in a statement.
He also extended condolences to the bereaved families.
In the tribal-dominated districts like Sukma, every kind of development work is being carried out to ensure basic facilities like roads, electricity supply, drinking water, better education and health to people, he said.
"Maoists feared that the development works in Bastar will uproot them from the region, therefore, they committed such a cowardly and shameful attack," he said.
The chief minister prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans.
He instructed senior officers to provide the best available medical treatment to the injured personnel.