Maoists set afire 14 vehicles in Orissa

Armed Maoists set afire at least 14 vehicles used for road construction work by a private construction company and a mobile phone tower in Orissa's Gajapati district, police said today.

Armed Maoists set afire at least 14 vehicles used for road construction work by a private construction company and a mobile phone tower in Orissa's Gajapati district, police said on Tuesday.

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About 40 slogan-shouting ultras, including women, raided the make-shift camp of the company at Pindiki under Mohana police station area late last night and set afire the vehicles, Superintendent of Police Sarthak Sarangi said.

The Maoists then proceeded towards the mobile tower nearby and destroyed it as well in the same manner, he said.

However, no one was harmed in the incident. The lone security guard of the company manage to hide himself.

The private construction company was undertaking the 102.9 km road construction work at a cost of Rs 153 crore on state highway No. 134 between Parlakhemundi and Mohana in the district.

A letter purportedly written by the head of the Basadhara division of the Maoists, left at the spot said the ultras opposed road construction work in the area.

After finishing off their operation, they blocked the busy road by felling huge trees, the SP said, adding efforts are on to clear the road.