Maoists today put up banners in remote parts of this district justifying the attack on the convoy of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh's Bastar area on May 25, in which 29 people were killed, as an act of punishment for "supporters of Salwa Judum".

"How can punishing the supporters of Salwa Judum be an attack on the democratic values," the ultras asked in the banners put up by Gadchiroli Divisional Committee of CPI (Maoists), at different places in Regdi, Kasansur, Ghot and other areas of the district.

"The death of Mahendra Karma and other Congress leaders is a punishment given by the people. It is a natural justice," the banner further said.

Karma, who was the founder of Salwa Judum, the erstwhile anti-Naxalite movement, was killed in the brutal attack in Jiram valley of Darbha region in Bastar.

Former Union minister V C Shukla, state Congress chief Nandkumar Patel, his son Dinesh and former legislator Uday Mudaliyar were also killed in the incident.