This refers to the editorial, “Maoists on a rampage” (March 13). There are just three words to describe the attack: ‘Massive intelligence failure’. Despite the frequency with which the Maoists target sensitive areas in Chhattisgarh, the lack of seriousness on the part of the Centre, and its shifting stand on tackling the Maoist menace, have proved costly for both the poor tribals and the police personnel. The UPA Government's failure to shrug off its complacency has resulted in a huge loss of precious lives.
The attack took place within striking distance of the ambush which had killed the Congress's top leaders, including VC Shukla. Earlier, Sukma's Collector too had been abducted, and was released after a long negotiation. After all this, we have a Union Minister for Home Affairs who is talking about taking “revenge” on the Maoists; they must be having a hearty laugh at the folly of our rulers. Moreover, the Centre had ignored a specific alert that the attackers were arriving from Odisha.