Mumbai:
Maharashtra government is open to setting up a special force in Naxal-affected forest of Gadchiroli district, Home Minister R R Patil told the legislative assembly yesterday.
"If need arises, Maharashtra government will set up a special force in Naxal-hit forest of Gadchiroli," Mr Patil said while making a statement in the lower House on the death of 12 CRPF jawans in a Naxal attack on Tuesday.
He said that senior police officials have reached the spot to conduct rescue operations and it was too early to make a detailed statement.
Mr Patil also said that 12 jawans were killed and 28 injured, eight of whom seriously, in the landmine blast caused by the Naxals.
"We will find out whether all the procedures were observed during the road opening operation," he added.
He was responding to a query by Nana Patole (BJP) who wanted to know if a special task force was needed in Gadchiroli in view of growing Naxal attacks on police and paramilitary forces.
Mr Patil said if need arises, government can think of setting up a task force in the region.
The CRPF personnel travelling in a bus were going from Pushtola to Gatta for an operational duty when the blast took place killing them on-the-spot, according to a CRPF official.