Final toll 31 killed 35 injured in Chingabaram Bus blast

     Raipur, May 18, 2010: The Police authority have today clarified that a total of 31 people were killed and 35 injured in the incident yesterday in which the Maoists had land mined a passenger bus in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

     “Ten police constable, five Special Police officers and one Seema Surakshya Bal personnel and 15 civilians were killed after the Maoists triggered a lane mine blast targeting a passenger bus,” Dantewada District Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com.

      About 35 people, including 15 policemen were injured in that incident in Chingabaram area under Gadiras police station on the Sukma-Konta road, Mishra said.

     When asked about the change in figure from yesterday, in which Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh had said 35 people, including 11 policemen were killed, Dantewada police clarified that the people engaged in rescue operation had counted more than once some of the bodies as they had been mutilated badly.

     “In certain cases the mutilated bodies had been counted more than once yesterday night because of which there was confusion, but the toll figure had been corrected now,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police of Dantewada Sanjay Sharma.

     The Maoists had used 50 kg or more explosives to target the civilian bus, said Police Spokesman Rajinder Kumar Vij.

     Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police Ram Niwas said police had already launched a combing operation in that area to capture the perpetrators and also to trace out more injured, who might have taken shelter in the woods following the incident.