Maoists tried to disrupt life in remote areas of south Odisha during their bandh call on Thursday. Except for a few remote pockets, the bandh had little impact in other regions.
The bandh was called to protest the Central government’s ‘Operation SAMADHAN’ to check left-wing extremism. Thursday was the last day of the ‘protest week’ being observed by the Maoists since January 25. Police sources said no untoward incident had been reported till evening.
Highway blocked
The Maoists cut down trees on NH-59 near the Pakaladami ghat in Kandhamal district. This affected traffic on Baliguda-Berhampur road via Surada. Traffic between Daringbadi-Baliguda and Daringbadi-Phulbani was also affected. No passenger buses plied on these routes.
In Kalahandi district, the Maoists cut down trees at Kendughat to block NH-59 connecting Gopalpur and Raipur. The ultras also blocked Fikarkupa-Dhepaguda road and torched an excavator involved in road construction work.
IED blast
They blew up an Improvised Explosive Devise at Chatikona in Rayagada district. No one was injured in the blast. Security personnel recovered another IED from the spot.
In Malkangiri district, passenger buses did not ply to interior pockets. Posters of ultras came up in remote areas. Combing operations were intensified in the district. Joint operations were taken up with the support of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh police in the border areas of Malkangiri.