Raipur, Jul 6 (IANS): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Thursday asserted that his government was open to any probe that would clear apprehensions over the Korsaguda gunfight, in which 19 villagers were gunned down as Maoists by security forces late last month.

Talking to IANS Friday, Raman Singh said: "The state government is not shy of any probe or step which would clear the doubt over the genuineness of the Korsaguda encounter. We are not intending to hide any fact."

After a marathon cabinet meeting Thursday night, Raman Singh had ordered a judicial probe into the July 28 incident at Korsaguda village in Bijapur district, nearly 600 km south of Raipur. The incident sparked nationwide uproar since the dead also included seven minors and a woman.

The probe will be conducted by a sitting judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court for which the state government will send a request to the chief justice at the earliest.

The probe panel will be deal with seven issues: Had the security personnel actually any gunfight with Maoists in Bijapur district on the intervening night of June 28 and 29; When and where did the fight occur; Was anyone else hurt or killed in the action other than security personnel and Maoists; What were the circumstances that led to the clash; Had the security forces any preparedness for the action; What were the reasons that such an action had to be undertaken during the night hours; Could the killings have been prevented; Results and Suggestions.

Though the district collector had ordered an inquiry into the incident Tuesday last, the opposition Congress, Sarva Adiwasi Samaj and human rights groups were demanding a judicial probe to bring the real facts out. The Congress had also announced it would raise the issue in the monsoon session of the assembly beginning July 12.