Maoists blow up panchayat office

More than 50 Maoist guerrillas blew up a gram panchayat building in Sundergarh district of Orissa, police said on Saturday.

More than 50 Maoist guerrillas blew up a gram panchayat (village council) building in Sundergarh district of Orissa, police said on Saturday.

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"Maoists blew up the gram panchayat office of Rehlatu village in Sundergarh Friday," Superintendent of Police Diptesh Pattnaik said.

The Maoist attack comes after the villagers had sought police protection about 15 days ago to fight the rebels.

The guerrillas Friday pasted posters in the area, threatening the villagers of dire consequences and blasted the building in Sundergarh, over 400 km from here.