Midnapore, Jan. 1: Maoist sympathisers today torched three trucks and blocked roads with trees in West Midnapore’s Goaltore to protest yesterday’s incident in which two women, apparently forced to act as human shields by the guerrillas, took police bullets.

A gang set fire to an empty truck at Bulanpur around midnight after its driver and cleaner had hopped off and fled. Around 8am, another group targeted two potato-laden trucks, heading towards Bankura, at Amlashuli.

Before the fire could engulf the potatoes, security forces doused the flames with the help of villagers. However, all the 10,000kg of tuber is likely to be destroyed because of the water used to fight the fire.

“There were Maoists among the villagers who set the trucks afire. They detonated an improvised explosive device, forcing the trucks to stop. Then they pulled the drivers and cleaners out, snatched their mobiles and money, sprinkled kerosene on the trucks and set them on fire,” an officer said.

Security forces moved tree trunks to clear roads at Patharpara, Bulanpur, Makli and neighbouring areas.

The women admitted to Bankura Medical College Hospital with bullets last evening were operated upon today.

Rekha Karmakar, 35, who took three bullets, had to undergo a tracheotomy — a hole was made in her trachea through the neck to relieve her of trouble in breathing. She had been shot in the arm, breast and trachea. “It is too early to say whether Rekha will have a permanent disability, but it’s a possibility,” said a surgeon.

A bullet was extracted from the arm of Jharna Ahir, 30.

The People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities has announced an indefinite bandh in Goaltore and called for a police boycott.