Sleuths of National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the biggest ever Maoist attack on political convoy at Darbha in Bastar on May 25 have retained the release of three vehicles which bore the maximum brunt of insurgents bullets while allowing all other vehicles to be released from Darbha police station.
Out of the three vehicles, release of which have been retained by the probe agency, two are from Jagdalpur – CG 17 D 1417 and CG 17 C 2845, whereas third vehicle CG 04 KA 0005 is of Raipur and is stated to be of slain CGPCC President Nand Kumar Patel.
Notably, in the May 25 Maoist attack on Congress convoy in Jeeram Valley 30 people including Patel, his son, Mahendra Karma, V C Shukla, their security staff and others were killed and an equal number of people were injured. After the massacre all the vehicles were taken to Darbha police station, around 12 km away from the site of ambush, for investigation which was immediately handed over to the NIA.
According to sources, there are a number of bullets embedded in the bodies of these vehicles which were fired by insurgents. A forensic experts team from Kolkata is expected to reach Darbha and they will extract the bullets from these vehicles body and take back them for test. According to sources these bullets are likely to be of AK 47 and INSAS riffles.
Presently, only 4 or five members of the NIA team is working in Bastar whereas senior members of the team are expected to reach Jagdalpur next month after which the probe is likely to get fresh momentum.