Roads looked deserted and shops remained closed in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region Monday, the third day of the Maoists' 'martyrdom week', police said. Two rebel supporters were held in Rajnandgaon district Sunday.
The rebels earlier put up posters in the Bastar region, warning people against carrying out any activities during the 'martyrdom week' from July 28 to Aug 3, being observed to remember their slain cadre.
According to Bastar range Inspector General of Police T.J. Langkumer, "Except for disturbances in vehicular traffic in the internal parts, no incident of major violence has so far been reported."
People observed a shutdown and vehicular traffic was thin. Though some public transport buses plied between Kanker and Bhanupratappur, there were no services on Antagarh Bande, Pakhanjur and Durgkoundal routes.
The impact of the shutdown call was visible in Rajnandgaon district, bordering Maharashtra, as few vehicles could be seen on roads in the internal parts of Manpur, Mohla, Ambagarh Chowki, Chhuria, Salhewara and Bakarkatta. Some of the villages in these areas observed shutdown as most shops remained closed.
Two Maoist supporters - Pardeshiram Dugga and Ratansingh Dugga, both brothers of rebel Koda alias Amrit - were nabbed during searches at Padbharri village in Rajnandgaon district Sunday. Two rifles, ammunition and Maoist literature were seized, police said.
A constable was killed and another injured in shooting by the Maoists at Podiya village of Malkangiri district of Odisha, bordering Chhattisgarh, late Sunday when the two had gone to market, police said.