Raipur: In separate attacks, Naxals allegedly set ablaze 12 vehicles, including two passenger buses and some trucks engaged in mining work, in Chhattisgarh's Kanker and Bijapur districts, police said. However, no one was hurt in the incidents, they said.
A group of armed Naxals raided the Chargaon iron ore-mining site under Siksod police station limits in Kanker this morning. After threatening the labourers, they torched 10 vehicles engaged in mining work, Kanker Superintendent of Police Jitendera Singh Meena told PTI.
The details of the mining machines, which were also burnt, are being ascertained, he said. After setting the vehicles and machines on fire, the Maoists fled into a forest, he said.
A police team was immediately rushed to the spot which found the vehicles, including trucks, and mining machines burnt, he said.
The extremists are reportedly opposing iron ore mining in the area being done by a company. Four officials of the company, including a general manager, were kidnapped on April 1, this year by the Naxals from Chargaon iron ore reserve. However, they were released the same day. Naxals also set ablaze a bus after asking its passengers to alight and also fired at another bus in Bijapur district last night.
The incident occurred near Dudheda village under Madded police station limits when the private bus was on its way to Bhopalpatnam from Jagdalpur district headquarters, a senior police official said.
A group of armed cadres stopped the vehicle between Dudheda and Gorla villages and asked the passengers to get down. The ultras then set the bus ablaze, he said.
Naxals also fired at another passenger bus on the same route, but no one was injured in the two incidents. Before fleeing, the ultras threw some pamphlets accusing police of not producing one of their arrested colleagues in court, the official said. Security forces were rushed to the spot, he said.
A search operation has been launched in the respective regions to nab the ultras involved in the attacks, police added. On October 25, Naxals?had set ablaze at least 37 vehicles and machines engaged in a road construction work in Bijapur district.
