Jharkhand, Oct 27 : Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda today condemned the Naxal attack in which seventeen people, including former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi’s son Anup Marandi, was killed.

"It is a sad incident, in which Anup Marandi was killed. Such attacks and earlier ones were in retaliation of police action against them. In last few months, police has arrested a number of Naxals and destroyed their bunkers, training camps,” Koda said.

Koda, who had spoken to Marandi, will also visit the village.

The Government announced Rs 1 lakh compensation for the families of all those who were killed.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police R K Mullick said the incident took place at Chilkhadia village in Jharkhand’s Giridih District at around 1.00 a.m.

“The incident occurred during a cultural programme when heavily armed naxalites attacked and opened indiscriminate fire on the gathering,” said Mullick.

Marandi's brother Nunulal, who was also present, escaped unhurt.

Four injured, including two women, are undergoing treatment at Giridih hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arun Kumar Singh said that about 30 Naxalites had mingled with the crowd during the cultural programme organised by Nunulal.

Earlier in the day, Babulal Marandi, who represents the Koderma Lok Sabha constituency, said that the entire nation is their target.

"My family has been the target of Maoist rebels for a long time as we have been fighting against them and organising villagers to rebel against them. Yesterday, their target was my family and since my brother and my son were there in that function they were clear targets for them,” he said.

Giridih is the home district of Babulal Marandi.

In March, Lok Sabha MP from Jamshedpur, Sunil Mahato was shot dead by Naxalities about 40 km from Ranchi while attending a football match.

Jharkhand is one of the 13 states hit by the Maoist insurgency that began more than three decades ago.

According to Home Ministry, 76 districts in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are 'badly affected by Maoist violence'. (ANI)