Maoists attacked a contractor’s camp and set afire heavy vehicles used in road construction works in Kurli village under Laxmipur police limits on Sunday night.
According to reports, a group of 40 armed Maoists raided the camp of a contractor Sukant Moharana and torched a tipper and one JCB machine before leaving the place. These vehicles were engaged in construction of road under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the village. They also vandalised the camp.
Maoists had earlier opposed the contractor carrying out the road works in the area. Armed forces have been deployed in Kurli village and combing operation intensified in Laxmipur to trace out the Maoists involved in the attack. Sources said that the Maoists under Koraput-Srikakulam dalam were involved in the attack.
Earlier on Friday night, Maoists had set on fire two tractors and a JCB machine used for road construction near Panimunda under Muniguda block in Rayagada district.
A group of 20 armed Maoists, including two women, arrived at Pajibali village, where local contractor Parsuram Sahu had set up a camp for construction of a PMGSY road, and set the vehicles and equipment ablaze. The proposed PMGSY road would connect Panimunda with Burti-Khamar, a village close to the Niyamgiri Hill. Posters left behind by the ultras said no roadwork should be carried out by use of machines and that local people should be employed to do the job.
Of late, Maoists have been opposing construction of roads in areas where they have a presence on the ground that it would facilitate movement of police and security forces.