Bhubaneswar: Parts of south Orissa were tense Monday as Maoists called for a shutdown, set ablaze four buses and a mobile tower overnight and blew up a forest department beat house as well, police said.
The Maoists have called for a shutdown to protest the alleged police excesses against tribals and set four buses afire in Raipanka of Gajapati district.
"Maoists have set ablaze four government buses in the night. They set them on fire after forcing the passengers to get down around midnight. They have also set ablaze a mobile tower there. About 40 Maoists are involved in the incidents. We have rushed armed policemen to the spot," said Superintendent of Police (Gajapati) Sanjeev Arora.
The Maoists blasted a forest department beat house and a mobile tower in Malkanagiri district also.
"Maoists have blown up a forest beat house at Orkel and a mobile tower in Chitrakonda chawk," said Anup Sahu, the sub divisional police officer of Malkanagiri.
The guerrillas have blocked roads at different places in south Orissa by felling trees on to the roads.
Passenger services have been hit on the Adaba-Rayagada and Brahmani Gaon-Rayagada routes and in Ajapati, Berhampur, Rayagada and Malkanagiri too.
An alert has been sounded in these districts, police said.
