Maoists torch another mobile tower in Odisha’s Koraput District

Koraput, Dec 22: Maoists set another mobile tower on fire on Sunday night in Odisha’s Koraput district. This is the second such incident in two days reported in the district. Villagers in the district are in panic following the activities of Maoists and some villagers left their villages.

As per reports, a group of Maoists torched another mobile tower at Chipakur village under Boipariguda block in the district on Sunday night. In last ten days, three mobile towers were set on fire by Maoists in the district.
Earlier two incidents were reported from Kathapada and Kalia Atal villages in the district.

As per sources, this time also the same group of Maoists of approximately 20 armed cadres rushed into the village of Chipakur and conducted a public meeting in the village. The villagers were threatened and warned not to support the construction of mobile tower in those areas. Then some of the ultras went to the mobile tower and torch the tower BTS and DG set.

Sarpanch of Chipakur, Srihari Pangi was beaten harshly by the extremists alleging of supporting the mobile companies. Maoists took the mobile phone of Srihari Pangi, he said. Srihari is now living in Kolathjodi village in fear of Maoists.

Many Maoists posters and banner found near the tower. In the poster both state and central government were blamed for non-developmental status of these areas. Mobile companies are making huge profit but the people are not getting the same, alleged in the poster. Many critics and comment over PM Modi’s foreign tour and farmers’ suicide is also mentioned in the poster.

Police has filed a report on this incident and started investigation while security forces are doing combing and search operation in those interior areas.

“This incident purely is to breakdown the police network in the area so that, it will paralyze the force movement in those areas but, as per sources a new fact has revealed that Maoists have demanded ransom from Airtel company officials whereas the company personnel unable to pay, so that only Airtel mobile towers are targeted and burnt” said Rajendra Kumar Senapati, SDPO Jeypore. Apart from this Maoists always been against of every development work, so they are burning these towers, he added.