Maoists set road construction vehicles ablaze

Raipur, Feb 7 (IANS) Dozens of armed Maoists Tuesday set on fire at least four road construction vehicles in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police officials here said.

Police say that armed Maoists intervened in a road construction work in a forested area, Awapalli, some 500 km south from Raipur, and set on fire four vehicles being used for road making.

The Maoists also assaulted a few laborers and tried to set ablaze a construction firm employee when he protested but para-military troopers reached the spot just in time and rebels fled into the nearby forest.

The immediate loss in the Maoist attack is reported to be around Rs.80 lakh. Some 50 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel have been deployed at the construction site as local authorities fear more such attacks by the Maoists in the days ahead.

Bijapur comes under 40,000 sq km forested Bastar region of Chhattisgarh where Maoists enjoy dominance since late 1980s.

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