The attack on the security vehicles came hours after the suspected Maoists torched at least 36 road construction vehicles and two site offices of a road building contractor in Gadchiroli's Dadarpur village.
Mangled remains of a police vehicle, carrying security personnel that was blasted by Maoists using IED
Mumbai:
Maoists struck in a big way on Wednesday, killing 15 commandos and a civilian by triggering a landmine blast targeting a security vehicle in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
The Maoists carried out the attack in Khurkheda tehsil when the state was celebrating its Foundation Day.
According to official sources, the commandos of elite C-60 force of the Maharashtra police were proceeding to a place where Maoist activities were reported and were confronted with fallen trees blocking an isolated road in a forest area.
When they alighted to clear the road of the trees, the blast took place, killing the commandos instantly, the sources said.
Director General of Maharashtra Police Subodh Jaiswal said a security vehicle, carrying 15 personnel, was hit by a landmine blast and a civilian vehicle also got caught in it.
"The saddest part is that we have lost 15 of our men… Whatever is to be done, will be done," he told a press conference in Mumbai.
C-60 is a quick reaction force.
The state police chief asserted that the attack will not deter the forces from continuing their operations against the naxals and vowed to give a "befitting reply".
"We will revisit the entire thing and see whatever is to be done… Our operations will continue with full force. We have the capacity to give a befitting reply,"
"We have the capacity to handle this," Jaiswal said, adding "Our effort is to ensure nothing of this sort happens in the future."
He said it won't be right to say that the incident happened because of intelligence failure but investigations will be conducted to see how it occurred.
"Whatever needs to be done, will be done," the DGP said.
Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told the media that it is "a massive tragedy" coming on the day when the entire state is celebrating Maharashtra Day.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed shock and anguish over the attack and discussed the security situation with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
"Anguished to know that our 16 police personnel got martyred in a cowardly attack by Maoists today. My thoughts and prayers are with their families. I am in touch with the (police) DGP and Gadchiroli SP," Fadnavis said.
Mungantiwar said that the Maoists are "angered by the highest turnout in Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha constituency" in the recent 2019 parliamentary elections which has prompted these violent reactions.
All parties, including ruling ally Shiv Sena and the Opposition condemned the attack on the security forces.
Naxal attack not due to intelligence failure: Maharashtra DGP
Maharashtra Director General of Police Subodh Kumar Jaiswal said Wednesday that the Naxal attack in Gadchiroli in which 15 police personnel were killed was not a result of intelligence failure.
Terming it a "big loss" for the force, Jaiswal said that police "were ready to give a befitting reply to the Naxals".
"I cannot call this an intelligence failure... The Maharashtra police will take whatever action needed against such activities. It is a big loss for Maharashtra police," Jaiswal said.
The Naxals want to overthrow the state, he said.
Rahul Gandhi condoles killing of 15 security personnel
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed his deepest condolences with the families of those killed in the Naxal attack in Maharashtra.
"I am saddened to hear about the attack on security personnel in Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra," Gandhi said on Twitter.
"I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives," he said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid homage to those killed the attack.
"In this hour of grief, me and the Congress party stand with the families of the martyrs. The whole country is against the violence perpertrated by Maoists. We will defeat this violent ideology together," she tweeted.
Maharashtra Day events cancelled
Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao cancelled the Maharashtra Day events scheduled to take place at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Wednesday evening.
The governor had organised the reception and cultural programmes for eminent personalities and diplomats on the occasion of the 59th anniversary of Maharashtra. These events have now been cancelled, a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan said.
'Fadnavis should resign'
NCP chief Sharad Pawar Wednesday demanded Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' resignation following the IED blast carried out by Naxals in Gadchiroli.
Fadnavis holds the home portfolio and "he should step down immediately", Pawar tweeted.
"Those who feel shame of conscience if not shame of public opinion would have resigned. But the people who are in power today are not going to do so," Pawar added.
'No lessons learnt from Pulwama'
The Congress on Wednesday attacked the BJP-led government over the Naxal attack in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, saying that despite its "tall talk" no lessons from Pulwama have been learnt.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said the country needs preventive action, accountability for this failure and not 'jumlas' (rhetoric) and lectures.
Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said over 390 jawans have been killed in Naxal attacks in the past five years that expose hollow claims of securing India by the Modi government.
(With inputs from PTI)
(With inputs from PTI)