Amid the call given by the outlawed Maoist outfit for a complete nationwide shutdown to be observed on Friday, December 22, the extremists are on a rampage in regions still under their influence in Chhattisgarh and adjoining states like Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
On Wednesday, December 20, the extremists set ablaze as many as three vehicles, including a passenger bus in the Konta region of Sukma alongside lighting up a pickup van in Bijapur. Additionally, the left-wing extremists also disrupted transportation on National Highway 63 near Belchar, where the ultras burned wood stocks on the road and dropped pamphlets appealing to make the shutdown successful on December 22.
Further, Maoists continued to wreak havoc in the South Bastar region on Thursday, December 21 as well after they reportedly set ablaze another passenger bus en route to Raipur from Aawapalli of Bijapur near Duggaiguda. According to the reports, a private passenger bus was torched under the Maoist-infested Aawapalli police station limits, following which they also fired up wood stocks to obstruct the route.
Additionally, the extremists have also torched a mobile tower in the insurgency-hit Sonampalli region under the Maded police station limits of Bijapur. The cadres of the banned outfit have also dropped pamphlets and posters pertaining to the shutdown.
It is to be noted that similar news of arson had also been reported from Maoist-affected Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra near the inter-state border Chhattisgarh- Maharashtra border on Wednesday.
Transportation halted in South Bastar
Now, after back-to-back incidents of violence unleashed by the ultras, passenger services in the Maoist-affected zones of South Bastar have been put on hold by the bus owners. According to the reports, the bus owners on Thursday night refused to carry forward the services in South Bastar, following which a number of passenger buses were reported to be stationed still at Bhanupartappur of Kanker. Similar news has also been reported from Jagdalpur, Bastar.
It’s been learned that the decision has been taken in anticipation of more such attacks on passenger buses in view of the nationwide shutdown call given by the Maoists on December 22, leaving the commuters in a state of panic and chaos.
Railway track uprooted in Jharkhand
It’s been reported that the extremists have also blown up the railway track near Goilkera-Poseta railway station of Maoists affected Chaibasa of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, following which operations on the Mumbai-Howrah route have been put on hold.
The incident occurred late Thursday night in the Chakradharpur railway zone, where the ultras, after blowing up the track, also erected banners on the spot.
Bharat Band called by the Maoists
It is to be noted that the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) has given a call to observe a complete nationwide shutdown against the alleged brutality of the security forces against the extremists in the State of Jharkhand. Earlier, the banned outfit, via press notes, had alleged that the incumbent union government, in collaboration with the state government, has been running a fierce campaign against the banned outfit, arresting people who have a liberal view of the proscribed outfit.
The Maoists in the press notes also claimed that the government has been trying to unleash a reign of terror against the cadres of the banned group by nabbing many top brass leaders and prominent journalists who are raising voices against the alleged corporatisation of Jharkhand. The outlawed outfit had also given a call to observe a ‘resilience week’ from December 16-22, 2023.
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