Maoists blow up mobile tower and panchayat building in Orissa

In continued attacks on government property and communication network, Maoists blew up a mobile tower and a panchayat building in Orissa's Malkangiri district, police said today.

About 50 heavily armed rebels stormed into Nilakamberu on the outskirt of Balimela town late last night and triggered a landmine blast destroying the mobile tower.

In another attack, the ultras blew up a panchayat building at Chintalwada under Kalimela police station area, about 10 km from here, police said.

Sack loads of rice and other materials including records stored in the panchyat building were damaged in the blast, they said.

The ultras disappeared into the nearby forest raising slogans against the government and security forces after the swift attacks, sources said.

The sound of the explosion was defeaning and sleeping citizens came out of their houses in panic, sources said adding the attack was apparently aimed at snapping telecom network to disrupt smooth flow of information about their activities to security agencies.

Search operations by security personnel to nab the red rebels was delayed in view of heavy rains in the area and the fear of landmines, officials said.

During the last one and a half months, Maoists have blown up at least five panchayat buildings, a government school and several mobile towers in the district.