Maoists attacked the site office of a private construction company, assaulted its staff and torched some machines and vehicles in Odisha's Kandhamal district on Tuesday, police said.

A group about 20 armed naxals stormed the site office of the firm engaged in construction of a bridge and road at Desughati in Tumudibandha area in the morning and physically assaulted some company staff, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Balliguda, Nitin Kusalkar said.

Threatening the company staff to immediately halt the project work, the Maoists set ablaze some excavators, tractors, mixture machines and vehicles at the site, he said.

The Maoists told the company staff that the bridge and road project will not be beneficial for the tribal people in the area and lead to their displacement instead, police said.

Combing operation in the entire area has been intensified after the incident, the SDPO said.

Maoists had launched a similar attack and torched six vehicles at the work site of a construction company on January 5, 2019 near Patiamba village under Phulbani sadar Police Station limit.

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