BERHAMPUR: Maoists set ablaze at least three mobile towers at Baragada area in Ganjam district on the first day of the two-day State bandh called by them. Armed rebels stormed into Goudagotha and Baroda villages in the Maoist-infested Ganjam-Kandhamal-Gajapati border and set afire mobile towers of BSNL and a private company in the early hours, police said. The ultras also pasted posters asking people to make the bandh a success and protest anti-Maoist operations. This was the second major incident of the Maoists in the district in the last 20 days. The ultras had blown up five mobile towers of private cellular operators at Asurabandha (3) and Gajalabadi (2) on December 16, police said. Sources said the ultras did not blow up the towers by using explosives this time. They burnt the cables by using husk and kerosene. DIG (south range) RK Sharma said investigation is on.Phulbani: The Maoist posters were found at several places in the district. The ultras also blocked roads by felling trees at Durgapanga, Bandapipili and Pandairmi in Kotgarh block as a result of which, vehicular communication to Phulbani-Koraput was disrupted. Normal life was also hit as shops and business establishments downed their shutters in Daringibadi, Brahmanigaon and Kotagarh. Sources said on Tuesday night, around 20 Maoists detained a Bhubaneswar-based private passenger bus at Gajalbadi. Eyewitnesses claimed that the ultras asked the driver not to ply the bus during the bandh call. High alert has been sounded in the district. Security has been beefed up in areas like Brahmanigaon, Daringibadi and Kotagarh. This apart, there were also reports of a landmine blast in Srirampur in Kotgarh block. This, however, is yet to be confirmed by police. Rayagada: Posters were also found in Muniguda area. The Maoists blocked road at Bondhaippili between Muniguda and Chandrapur by felling trees. Traffic between Muniguda and Chandrapur remained cut off. In the posters, the Maoists flayed both the State and the Central governments.
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