Maoists set fire to vehicles, mobile tower in Orissa

A road roller set afire by Maoists in Gajapati district on Tuesday. Photo: By Special Arrangement

About 40 Maoists set ablaze some 14 vehicles of a private construction company and damaged a mobile communication tower in the Gajapati district of south Orissa on Monday night. The incident occurred at the Pindiki village.

Eyewitnesses said the Maoists targeted the makeshift camp of the ARSS which is involved in the construction of a major road.

None injured

No one was injured as vehicle drivers and the watchman fled fearing for their lives on seeing the extremists.

Seven tippers, two road-rollers, two mixers, a water tanker, a grader, and an excavator were damaged in the attack.

The Maoists then headed towards the mobile communication tower at the village and set it ablaze. Before escaping, they cut down trees to block the Paralakhemundi-Mohana road to stop the movement of security forces. Deputy Inspector-General, Southern Range, R.K. Sharma, said the security forces were rushed to the area to nab the Maoists. The ARSS has taken up the construction of 102.9-km stretch of road of the State Highway number 134.