NEW DELHI: A day after the killing of Sunil Kumar Mahato, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP, and three others in Jharkhand by naxalites, the Centre on Monday said the attack appeared to be a "retaliatory action" against the MP as he had been leading the anti-naxal campaign through a local citizens' body.

Addressing a press conference at North Block here, Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal said the Home Ministry had received a "first account" of the attack in a rather brief report sent by the Jharkhand Government. He said the JMM MP was also leading the Nagrik Suraksha Samiti (Citizens Security Council) and had been raising his voice against naxal cadres in the area.

Replying to a question whether the Government would give security cover to all the MPs of naxal violence-affected States, Mr. Duggal said that a thorough review of all "sensitive and hyper-sensitive" areas in such States would be done. "Security is provided on the basis of threat perception and it is reviewed periodically. We will undertake the exercise in respect of MPs coming from sensitive constituencies."

Mr. Duggal said the Ministry was in constant touch with the Jharkhand Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police and combing operations were already going on. " Neighbouring West Bengal has also been appraised of all developments and it is lending a helping hand to Jharkhand to catch the persons who were behind the attack," he said.

"Joint action and joint task force which were launched in 2005 will continue on the basis of intelligence inputs. There is no need for a unified command on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir and Assam," he said.

Admitting that the Centre had been "anticipating" such a daring attack on a high profile target by naxal cadres, he said the reason behind it was "marked improvement" on naxal front in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar and Chhattisgarh where "good counter operations" had been launched by security personnel. To another question, Mr. Duggal said the Centre and the intelligence agencies were aware of the Ninth Congress of Maoists which was held recently somewhere in Jharkhand where naxalites had warned of launching mobile attacks.

"This is an act of desperation by naxalites. The Government condemns it strongest possible terms. This incident will only strengthen our resolve to fight the menace of naxalism firmly on all fronts be it developmental, social and security."

The Left parties strongly condemned Mr. Mahato's killing saying it was a "dastardly act" which could further escalate tension. "It is time Indian naxalites learn from experiences of the Maoists of Nepal, and shun such meaningless violence," Communist Party of India Central Secretariat said in a statement.

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