Maoists attack forest department office in Orissa

A group of Maoists, including two women, attack a forest department office in Orissa's Sambalpur district and set ablaze over 10 vehicles.

A group of Maoists, including two women, attacked a forest department office in Orissa's Sambalpur district and set ablaze over 10 vehicles, mostly seized by the department, police said on Saturday.

HT Image

The incident, which occurred late on Friday at Badrama, some 40 km from the district headquarters of Sambalpur and about 375 km from the state capital in Bhubaneswar, came to light after forest department officials informed the police on Saturday.

"About eight to ten armed people including two women attacked the forest range office and burnt official records," Surendra Panwar, inspector general of police of the region, told IANS.

They also torched at least 10 vehicles, he said. Nine of the vehicles set on fire were seized by the department.

The leftist guerrillas also snatched Rs 15,000 and a gold ring from an official, he said.

Maoists are active in 11 districts in the state.