April 8: Maoists today indulged in a series a subversive acts, the first within 10 minutes after their 48-hour bandh was over at midnight, making their presence felt in the state.
The rebels first struck at Jamui district at 12.10am and blew up a power sub-station. A little over four hours later, they ransacked a construction firm at Muzaffarpur.
At 7.30 in the morning, another set of Maoists triggered a landmine explosion in Gaya, injuring four CoBRA (Composite Battalion for Resolute Action) personnel.
The rebels triggered the series of violence on a day director-general of police Abhayanand claimed that his force was ready to face any challenge.
Soon after their bandh against the killing of their comrades in Jharkhand was over, around 140 armed Maoists blew up a 33x11KV power sub-station near Khaira block at the Naxalite-hit Jamui district, around 175km southeast of Patna.
Jamui superintendent of police Dipak Barnawal said the Maoists fled towards the nearby forest after bringing down the power sub-station. The rebels managed to blow up the sub-station despite the police were patrolling the area in anti-landmine vehicles.
“Soon after the power sub-station was damaged, the entire area plunged into darkness. Combing operation is on to find the rebels,” Barnawal said.
In the second incident, around 50 Maoists ransacked a makeshift camp of MSK Constructions in Muzaffarpur around 4.30am. The armed rebels set ablaze two JCB machines and an equal number of tractors at the Sahebganj block headquarters under the jurisdiction of Sahebganj police station, around 115km north of Patna.
Sources said the rebels had demanded levy from the construction company. They attacked the makeshift camp of the agency and threatened its employees of dire consequences because the firm did not oblige them.
City senior superintendent of police Saurav Kumar, along with deputy superintendent of police (west) Anuj Kumar, visited the site and took stock of the situation.
The SSP said: “If the rebels had demanded levy earlier, the officials of the construction company should have lodged an FIR in this connection.”
In Gaya, four CoBRA personnel were injured when a landmine went off around 7.30am. The incident occurred at Raj Bandh near Sewra village under the jurisdiction of Dumaria police station, around 95km southwest of Gaya district headquarters and 195km from Patna.
The landmine went off when the CoBRA personnel were trying to defuse it. “The injured personnel — inspector Dinesh Kumar, sub-inspector Sanjay Kumar, havildar Rajeshwar and a constable Burman Netam — were airlifted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for treatment,” said Gaya city superintendent of police (SP) Chandan Kushwaha.
Sherghati deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Rajesh Kumar said the landmine was detected under a culvert in Sewra village.
