Just a day after bloodbath in the Sukma district of Bastar division that left seven Special Task Force (STF) troopers dead and around 12 injured, Maoists once again went on a rampage torching around 18 vehicles engaged in mining work in restive Kanker district.
No casualty was reported in the incident, a senior police officer said on Sunday. The incident occurred in Barbaspur iron ore mining site falling under limits of Korar police station on Sunday morning, Superintendent of Police (SP), Kanker, JN Meena informed.
According to him, a group of armed rebels stormed the mining site and set ablaze 18 vehicles and machines engaged in transportation and mining work. Soon after getting the information about the incident, police rushed to the spot; but by then, the rebels had managed to flee. Police has launched an intense search operation in the region to identify and nab the insurgents, he said.
The mines in the region have been given on lease to Neco Jayaswal Company and the vehicles engaged in the construction works belonged to some private transporter groups based in Bhanupratappur, the SP said.
Maoist pamphlets were also found at the spot. It may be recalled that while opposing the ongoing mining works in the region, the insurgents had abducted officials and workers of Neco Jayaswal Company on April 1 this year. The kidnapped officials and workers were released later by the rebels.