Maoists torch vehicles, construction equipment on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border

Reported by Ranjan Rath
Malkangiri, Nov 13:

A group of armed Maoists set two tippers and a hot mix bitumen machine on fire at Kukarna on Sukma-Jagdalpur road along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border this morning.

According to reports, around 20-30 armed Maoists arrived at the spot at around 10 AM and set fire to the vehicles and machinery used for road construction work.

Vehicular traffic between Sukma and Jagdalpur was disrupted for some time following the incident.

Meanwhile, a team or CRPF personnel from Sukma rushed to the area and doused the fire. The Central para-military forces later intensified combing operation in the area after clearing the road.

To foil Maoist intrusion into Malkangiri district, the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border has been sealed.

It may be mentioned here that the left wing ultras had recently set a JCB machine and other road construction equipment on fire in this area.