Mumbai, Dec 28 (IANS) Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram Tuesday visited the Maoist stronghold of Gadchiroli district in eastern Maharashtra to review the security scenario and discuss development plans for the area, an official said.

Chidambaram was accompanied by Maharashtra's Home Minister R.R. Patil and Director General of Police D. Sivanandan.

Chidambaram met Gadchiroli District Collector Atul Patne at the district headquarters, reviewed the security measures taken, and also discussed development plans with officials.

He then visited a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in the Murunga forest, about 30 km from the district town. He later addressed local police personnel and CRPF troopers in Dhanora area, which had seen Maoist guerrillas set a panchayat building afire ahead of his visit. No casualties were reported.

Officials said it was the first time that a union home minister has visited Gadchiroli, one of the districts affected by Maoist violence. Chidambaram returns to Mumbai in the evening.

Gadchiroli, about 950 km from here bordering Andhra Pradesh, has been a troubled area with Maoist guerrillas frequently targeting security forces and government property. In October last year, 18 police personnel were killed when Maoists ambushed a police.