Gaya, Aug. 22: A group of around 15 armed criminals, posing as Maoists, torched two trucks and punctured the wheels of a third by pumping bullets near Gamharpur Balughat village under Khisersarai police station in the district around 11.30pm on Sunday.

According to reports, the criminals intercepted the three trucks that were going towards the Balughat to load sand. Balughat is a riverbed from where sand is loaded on trucks, which is supplied to other places. The sand is used in cemented construction work.

The criminals first asked the drivers and the cleaners of the trucks to get off the truck from the trucks and then set two of trucks on fire.

The criminals also snatched Rs 5,000 from the drivers.

The criminals told the men on the truck that the contractor at Balughat refused to pay a levy, compelling them to torch the trucks.

The trucks arrived in Gaya from Samastipur and Vaishali to load sand. After burning the trucks, the criminals also fired in the air to trigger panic among the truck drivers and the others present.

Later, police arrived at the spot. The cops have ruled out the involvement of Maoists in the attack and said the attack was carried by criminals of the area.