He told them bluntly that even after four months of the 13/7 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has failed to nab the culprits of the blasts.

The home minister avoided any discussion on the progress of the investigations in the bomb blasts.

Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, defended the ATS officials and said that even though Chidambaram avoided discussing the issue during the review meeting called by him, yet he claimed that the ATS had done a good job and investigations were moving in the right direction and the ATS would arrest the culprits of the bomb blasts soon.

Patil further said that thorough discussions were held with Chidambaram seeking sufficient funds for development in the Maoist affected districts in Marathwada region, specially bordering neighboring states of Andhra and Chattisgarh states.

Chidambaram who had called for the review meeting at the state government guesthouse this evening, asked the police to increase area domination. He instructed the Gadchiroli police to step up area domination to curb Maoist violence against civilians.

At the review meeting where senior officials of the police and civil administration from Maoist-affected districts of Gadchiroli and Gondia were present, Chidambaram expressed concern about the increasing number of civilian casualties of Maoist violence in and observed that it showed who is dominating the area.