Malkangiri: A group of armed Maoists set a private bus on fire at Mundaguda village under Mathili police limits in Odisha’s Malkangiri district late on Monday.
According to sources, a private bus was on its way to Motu from Mahupadar when a group of 20-25 armed Maoists intercepted the vehicle at Mundaguda late in the night and asked the passengers to get down. Later, they set the bus on fire and severely thrashed the driver, conductor and the helper for plying the bus during the Protest Week. They also snatched their cash and mobile phones.
The Maoists, however, spared the passengers.
Before leaving, they put up some posters and leaflets in Mahupadar area.
In the posters, the Left-wing extremists called on the people to support the Protest Week being observed by them. Besides, they have also demanded withdrawal of BSF camps from remote areas of Malkangiri district.
Stating that the Maoists of Bastar Division of neighbouring Chhattisgarh district have perpetrated the violence, Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena said a joint combing operation by the District Voluntary Force (DVF) and the BSF personnel is on to track down the Maoists.
