Maoist violence on, forest depot torched

Maoist insurgents again on Saturday night put on fire the forest wood depot and the residential units located at Bodal village, nearly 18 km away from the Bastar divisional headquarters at Jagdalpur.

Property worth Rs 5-6 lakh along with government records gutted in the fire. Divisional forest officer Anil Soni informed and added that the department is lodging first information report against the outlaws.

According to Forest Department sources, around Saturday midnight 150-200 armed insurgents attacked the forest depot put the fuel wood as well as the bamboos kept there on fire. In the fire 46 stacks of firewood and more than 600 bamboos reduced in to ashes. 

The insurgents also damaged the residential units made for staff inside depot even if no casualty was reported as the staff fled the scene fearing violence. However, the rebels put the stacks of seized woods kept at the residence of deputy ranger and also torched his residence due to which large number of records were destroyed.

Notably, during last one and half years this was third incident of arson by Naxals. Earlier they had attacked the forest department’s Rest House at Netanar and ambushed the search party sent by district administration to the spot. In the ambush 6 policemen including Darbha TI were killed.

Taking the cue from earlier incident, this time a police team has been sent to the spot with full caution and alertness, said Bastar Superintendent of Police Mayank Shrivastava.