Maoists damage school building in Orissa

Continuing their attack on government property, armed Maoists blew up a shool building in Orissa's Malkangiri district early today.

About 100 heavily armed rebels stormed into MV-21 village under Kalimela police station area, about 50km from Malkangiri in the early hours and targeted the primary school building, police said.

Triggering the landmine blast, the ultras blew up the building destroying many portions and causing extensive damage to the structure, the police said.

The school building was targetted as the Maoists apparently believe that it would be utilised for accommodating the security forces during anti-Naxal operation, the police said.

Security personnel were sent to the village in order to conduct combing operation and intensive patrolling in the area to track the ultras, they said.

The attack came a day after the ultras blew up a panchayat office building and a godown in Kalimela area of the Maoist-infested district.

The rebels have blasted about half-a-dozen government buildings in the district in last one month.