Dantewada, Chhattisgarh: Naxalites have blown up a civilian bus at Chingawaram near Dantewada in Chhattisgarh. Fifty people are feared killed.
There were 50 people, including 15 special police officers (SPOs) and local policemen on the bus, reports said.
Early reports said at least 30 people had been killed in the landmine blast. But Special DG V Raman said: "I fear at least 50 dead, we are checking." The Superintendent of Police, Dantewada confirmed the death of 19 people. Information is difficult to access in this area.
Policemen traveling on the bus are believed to have been the main targets of the attack. SPOs are mostly local people recruited to fight the Maoists and have emerged as the biggest threat to them.
Dantewada had witnessed the worst-ever massacre of CRPF jawans only a few months ago, when 76 jawans were killed in a Naxal ambush.
(Read:76 jawans killed in Naxal attack)
The Ministry of Home Affairs is meeting right now.
More details are awaited.