Maoists blow up anti-landmine vehicle as 48-hr bandh begins

Kolkata, Jun 22 (PTI) Maoists Monday targeted an
anti-landmine vehicle in Jharkhand as a 48-hour strike called
by them began in five states, where security has been put on
high alert.

The vehicle was on its way to Ghatshila in East
Singhbhum district bordering India's eastern state West Bengal
when Maoists set off a landmine. Police said the vehicle was
not damaged and there were no reports of any casualty.

The bandh has been called by the Maoists in eastern
states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and central
state Chhattisgarh in protest against security forces storming
Lalgarh in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

In Malkangiri in Orissa, two Maoists were gunned
down in a fierce battle with police, district police chief
Satyabrat Bhoi said.

The gun battle took place when a team of police and
jawans of the elite Special Operation Group (SOG) were
conducting a combing operation in a forest area and the ultras
opened fire from their hide-out, he said.

The operation had been launched after three Maoists
opened fire during a checking by the police here Sunday night
and escaped into the forest. No one was injured in the
incident.

In the restive Lalgarh in West Midnapore district,
which was reclaimed by the security forces on Saturday, CRPF,
BSF and West Bengal police personnel intensified their
operations.

Reports said normal life was affected in the
Maoist-hit West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts
as shops and business establishments remained closed.

Besides Lalgarh -- the epicentre of the current
trouble -- security was tightened in Binpur, Jhargram and
adjoining areas where state and paramilitary security forces
continued their offensive for the fifth day, officials said.
Patrolling by security forces has been intensified.

In Purulia district, train services remained suspended
on the Purulia-Chandil section since 0200 hrs IST in view of
reports of a landmine being planted on the tracks at Birandi
station.

Police said two railway gangmen, who noticed a
landmine tied to the tracks, were attacked by suspected
Maoists who snatched their mobile phones. Railway authorities
immediately informed the bomb squad department in Kolkata to
defuse the explosive.

In Bihar, life was normal except in Sherghati
sub-division of Naxal-infested Gaya district bordering
Jharkhand. Shops in Sherghati were closed and traffic was
thin.

A report from Patna said there was normalcy in
Jahanabad, Jamui, Nawada, Nalanda and Arwal, where Maoists
have a sizeable presence.

On the eve of the bandh, Orissa witnessed some
violence as two Maoist were killed in an exchange of fire in
Malkangiri district. However, there was no report of any
untoward incident during the first few hours of the bandh. PTI
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