Dantewada , Apr. 27 The bodies of 10 policemen and a civilian driver killed in a blast by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district were laid to rest on Thursday evening. .Women, children and family members of the deceased were seen crying as female security personnel tried to comfort them.

After paying tributes to the martyrs of the Naxal attack on Wednesday, Chief Minister Bhupesh Bagel said the sacrifice of jawans will not go in vain and the fight against Naxalites will be intensified.

The chief minister shouldered the corpse of a jawan on the way to the vehicle that would carry the bodies of the dead to their respective places.

Ten members of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and a civilian driver were killed when Naxalites detonated a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) that was part of a vehicle carrying security personnel in Aranpur police station area of Dantewada on Wednesday afternoon. .

The blast was carried out using an IED containing 40 kg of explosives. Footage from the scene showed a large crater nearly 10 feet deep across the road where the blast took place. The MUV was completely damaged in the blast.

A wreath-laying ceremony for the deceased was held at Police Lines in Garli area here on Thursday.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Baghel, Home MinisterT amradhwaj Sahu, MPs Deepak Paij and Phulodevi Netam  and State Director General of Police Ashok Juneja paid tributes to the deceased.

Baghel met the kin of the martyred jawans and the driver and promised to help them.

Talking to the media, Baghel said that the sacrifice of jawans will not go in vain and the fight against Naxalites will be intensified.

“Our soldiers are giving a tough fight to the Naxalites in their key areas. In the last four years, 75 camps (of security forces) have been set up in central areas of Naxalites, while earlier camps were established only in protected areas,” the Chief Minister said.

“Now, there is no need to go to Sukma as roads have been constructed from Aranpur and Byramgarh to Jagargunta. Bhuvarti (in Bijapur district), known as Hidma’s (terrorist Naxal commander) headquarters, is now surrounded (by security force camps) from all sides,” he said.

Baghel said roads are being constructed and police camps are being set up in the interior areas of Bastar division.

“People’s confidence in the government has increased. The Naxalites have been pushed back and this kind of attack has taken place after a gap of two years, which they have carried out out of frustration,” he added.

Asked about the government’s claims of containing Naxal activities, Baghel said, “Earlier, jawans were attacked in their camps, but now jawans are picking up Naxalites in forests after carrying out search operations. Now our jawans are not losing their lives in the camps. He said the Naxalites would launch their tactical counter-offensive campaign (TCOC) in summer when the leaves and grass dried up and visibility in the forests increased.

The Congress leader said that this period was good for the security forces and the Naxalites, but this time the security forces suffered heavy losses.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chhattisgarh in-charge Om Mathur and other leaders also paid tributes by placing floral wreaths. PTI DKB GK GK