A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) has commenced its probe into the Chhattisgarh attack on Congress leaders by Maoists which claimed 27 lives, including that of the Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nand Kumar Patel.

Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh said an official order formally handing over the case to NIA to carry out the investigation had been issued. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had said that the NIA will probe the Maoist attack on Congress leaders and the Centre has received a go-ahead from Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh for it.

Heavily-armed Maoists had on May 25 ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in the state’s Bastar district, killing 27 people including PCC chief Patel, his son Dinesh, Congress leader Mahendra Karma and ex-MLA Uday Mudliyar and injuring 32 others, including former Union Minister V.C. Shukla.

“I have spoken to the Chief Minister of the state and urged him to provide all possible assistance to those who have been injured and to ensure the security and safety of those who have been abducted.

“I appeal to the attackers to release all those who may have been abducted at the earliest. Such incidents go against the democratic values of our country. Government will take firm action against the perpetrators of violence of any kind.”