KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday expressed grief over the death of 22 security personnel in a "dastardly" Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans.
She extended her condolences to the families of those martyred in the line of duty.
"Deeply grieved at the dastardly attack on our soldiers in Chhattisgarh. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those martyred in the line of duty. I salute the supreme sacrifice made for the nation by these brave-hearts. Prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured," she tweeted.
Police recovered bullet-riddled bodies of 17 jawans in the jungles of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, raising to 22 the number of security personnel killed in a fierce gun-battle with Maoists the previous day -- the biggest massacre in more than a year that also left 31 injured.