Maoists torch 4 vehicles in Gadchiroli to protest cadre’s killing

Nagpur: Maoists set four vehicles, including three ferrying sand, on fire near Kulbhatti and Gajamendhi villages in Dhanora tehsil in north Gadchiroli on Tuesday protesting the encounter death of their senior cadre Sujanakka on May 2. The Maoists, who had called ‘Bandh’ in the district on Wednesday protesting Sujanakka’s death, have now extended the period of agitation till May 22.
The arson attack disrupted movement of the heavy vehicles between Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh as the incident took place around four-and-half kilometres from state border.The Maoists, claiming to be from North Gadchiroli division committee of their party, had put up banners across the road hailing the ‘martyrdom’ of Sujanakka who was divisional committee member and commander of Kasnasur dalam.
It is learnt hordes of villagers from Gajamendhi village had marched to Sawargaon police post on Wednesday to protest the incident.
The Maoists had earlier felled trees to block the road connecting Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. They intercepted the vehicles and asked the drivers to leave the place. One of the drivers tried to flee by reversing his vehicle but was caught and thrashed by the Maoists.
SP Shailesh Balkawade said the residents of the adjoining villages where the Maoists had triggered the arson have expressed their anger before the police against such violence.
“People were miffed with the Maoists for their violence which is blocking development. Later, the villagers spontaneously took out the Maoists’ banners and removed pamphlets from the scene,” he said. “In the night, the Maoists had asked the villagers at gunpoint to march with them to the arson site against their wishes,” said the SP.
Police have released a press communication stating the Maoists were appealing to people to observe ‘Bandh’ for a dreaded cadre like Sujanakka who was behind 144 offences including 34 murders in the district.
In some places in both north and south Gadchiroli, Maoists banners were spotted with appeal for supporting the ‘bandh’ .
In an unrelated incident, a forest wood depot on Alapalli-Etapalli road caught fire. Police claimed there was no Maoist hand behind it.