Maoists call for black day to protest PM’s visit

Maoists in Bihar’s Magadh zone has extended their 72-hour bandh call by another 24 hours to mark a black day to protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Parivartan Rally (rally for change) scheduled in Gaya on Sunday, even as BJP leaders informed that the PMO had called off his visit to Mahabodhi temple complex, the June 2013 serial terror attack site.

The Maoists have threatened people to shut down shops.

The PM is scheduled to address a rally in Gaya as part of the second leg of his Bihar tour, that kicked off in Muzaffarpur on July 25.

Bihar DGP P K Thakur said, a high alert has been issued and a four-layered security is in place with CoBRA battalions of the CRPF and district police forces in Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Gaya and Nawada scouring the peripheral and interior areas to block Maoist movement.

Regional spokesman for the Maoists Magadh zone, identifying himself as Manas, said, the organisation would enforce the bandh.