The ‘Bharat bandh' called by Maoists on Wednesday turned violent in Gondia and Gadchiroli districts here after the insurgents burnt a mobile tower of the BSNL , vandalised a gram panchayat office, blocked roads and put up banners and posters at some places, police said.
Mobile phone services were disrupted in the areas around Gondia after the naxals burnt the tower at Jamakado late on Tuesday. “There was an arson attack on the gram panchayat office of Toyagondi at around 4 a.m. The naxals burnt documents in the office,” Gondia Superintendent of Police Chandrakishor Meena told The Hindu . There were no reports of damage to life. The police registered cases against the naxals under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.
In Gadchiroli, there was no damage to property, but the naxals blocked roads.
“They had placed wooden logs and rocks on the road to block traffic near Malewada road. They also put up banners and posters at various places. Traffic was disrupted for about two hours in the morning, but the police parties went to the affected areas and cleared the roads. We also removed the posters and banners,” Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Viresh Prabhu told The Hindu .
