India: Maoists blow up a tower of a private telecom firm

PATNA | 16 – 10 – 2009 | Maoists blew up a tower of a private telecom firm and torched a truck in Bihar’s Sheohar District last night. According to officials, around 45 to 50 Maoists blew up the Airtel tower at Brindaban Bazar and asked villagers to stay at home. Around 45-50 ultras swooped on the Brindaban Bazar.

Earlier, the Maoists had ransacked the Banshipur Railway Station in Lakhisarai District. They torched a communication system in the railway cabin of the station. They also took three railway employees, including station master hostage for a shot while.

The two-day shutdown in Bihar and Jharkhand was organized to protest a Central Government effort to put down the CPI (Maoists) movement. Tight security arrangements have been made in Bihar and Jharkhand to avoid untoward incidents.

Maoists are active in 18 of the 24 districts of the State.