Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): Maoists set aflame several road construction machines in Mandwa village under Rupjhar police station, 60km from the district headquarters, on Wednesday, official sources said on Thursday.
They put a match to a JCB machine, a road-roller, a motorcycle and a hot mix asphalt mixer machine.
It was the third incident in the past one week. In earlier two incidents that took place on December 3 and on December 6, the Maoists set fire to several road-building machines, the police said.
Besides burning the road-construction equipment, the Maoists intimidated the labourers working at the site and snatched mobile phones from them.
The workers were also asked to leave the site and pasted a poster on the wall of a makeshift house near the plant.
Through the poster, they appealed to people to join the proposed strike in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh on Friday, sources said.
A contractor from Raipur in Chhattisgarh, Sanjay Agarwal, is building the road.
On seeing the smoke billowing out of the area, a group of villagers rushed to the spot. But, immediately after that, they returned home because of fear of Maoists.
The incidents have taken place, despite the presence of the Central Reserve Police Force, district police force, Cobra Battalion and Gorilla Force.†
Nearly 5,000 Jawans of these elite forces have been deployed in the area. According to the officials, the security men are continuously searching the area.
These incidents have sparked fears in the nearby villages dominated by the tribal people.
Superintendent of police Abhishek Tiwari confirmed the incident in which the road construction machines were torched.
A police team rushed to the spot and began to search for the Maoists, he said.
VVIPs attend wedding ceremony in Kirnapur
Former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, chief minister of Chhatisgarh Bhupesh Baghel and many other politicians were present at a wedding ceremony of former legislator and assembly speaker Hina Kawreís brother in Kirnapur area in the district. Therefore, security was stepped up.†
Kirnapur belongs to the Maoist-infested area. After the killing of a Maoist leader Milind Teltumude in an encounter with the police in Maharashtra, various groups of Maoists have become active.†
Eschew path of violence, says Digvijaya
Former chief minister Digvijaya Singh appealed to the Maoists to eschew the path of violence and win the hearts of people.
The Maoists should follow the Indian Constitution and fight elections as this is the only way, he said. He made the statement after attending the wedding ceremony in Kirnapur.
