Maoist attack on CRPF jawans a cowardly act: RSS

NEW DELHI: A day after 14 CRPF jawans were killed in a gunfight with Maoists in Chhattisgarh, RSS today condemned the attack as a "cowardly" act.

"We strongly condemn the cowardly attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh in which 14 of our brave hearts were martyred," said RSS's Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, Manmohan Vaidya.

In the biggest single-day casualties sustained by CRPF in Chhattisgarh this year, 14 of its personnel, including two officers, were killed in a Maoist attack in the Chintagufa area of Sukma district on Monday afternoon. At least 15 other personnel were also injured in the attack with the condition of five of them stated to be serious.

The victims, including Deputy Commandant DS Verma and Assistant Commandant Rajesh Kapuria, were from the 223rd battalion of CRPF.

The Maoists had used human shields to carry out the attack, which was the second one on CRPF jawans in 10 days in the same area in the Naxal hotbed of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh.

The attack came a day before the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army of CPI (Maoist) observes its foundation week from December 2-8.