New Delhi, May 27 (IANS): There have been security lapses in the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh and the National Investigative Agency (NIA) will investigate the strike so that the guilty can be punished, Minister of State for Home R.P.N. Singh said Monday.

"There have been security lapses and NIA will investigate the whole case. Punishment has to be meted out to someone, whoever is responsible, at the centre level or state level. The buck has to stop somewhere," Singh told reporters here.

Singh said the attack that wiped out the entire senior Congress leadership in the state is an attack on the very being of India and country shall fight it.

"We are praying for recovery of people critically injured in the attack," he said.

Home Secretary R.K. Singh said the NIA team would be leaving for Chhattisgarh Monday.

"NIA team will be flying in to the state Monday to start the investigation," said the home secretary.

The Congress has called a condolence meeting in the party headquarters in Delhi at 5 p.m.

"The meeting will be attended by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders," party sources said.