Dhanbad, July 2: Terror struck in the early morning hours today when the Maoists laid siege on the NH-2 for about two hours near Kandedih More under Topchanchi police station area.

During the two-hour indiscriminate firing that started about 2am, two trucks — CG 04 DC/9011 and Haryana HR 37B 4350 — were damaged with its driver and other staff being saved miraculously. While the Chandigarh truck was set ablaze, the chassis of the Haryana one was completely destroyed.

According to police sources, the 200-odd rebels fired over 40 rounds in the air to scare drivers and local villagers around Topchanchi, about 32km from here, after the 24-hour Maoist bandh started at the midnight.

The Haryana truck’s driver, Santosh Yadav, and cleaner Bablu, both residents of Bihar, were injured while the driver and cleaner of the Chandigarh truck ran for cover as soon as the bullets started raining.

Till 4am, Kandedih was under the control of the Maoists. The police arrived around 5am and recovered about 30 empty cartridges.

Senior police officers said that Maoist posters and pamphlets had been found from the spot and nearby villages in Satkira Chowk and Parsabera under Pirtand police station.

Superintendent of police Shital Oraon has been camping at the site of the firing since early morning.