Jamshedpur, Feb. 20: Suspected People’s War activists torched a 407-model truck at Ghatduari village in Bermo panchayat under Dumuria police station area this morning.

The PW had called a one-day bandh in East Singhbhum today to protest against alleged police excesses in parts of extremist-infested Dumuria and Ghorabandha areas of Ghatshila sub-division.

“The truck was transporting pigs when suspected extremists intercepted the vehicle at Ghatduari hamlet in the afternoon and set it ablaze. The driver and helpers of the truck were asked to desert the vehicle before the suspected PW activists burnt it,” police said.

Deputy inspector general of police (DIG) of Ranchi range B. Thakur said the bandh was peaceful.

“Barring the burning of the truck there were no other untoward incidents. In fact, the bandh was a flop as people did not respond to the PW bandh,” Thakur added.

However, police officials of Ghatshila sub division said public transport in Dumuria area was affected as no bus or jeep left Dumuria either for Orissa or Midnapore in West Bengal. “We had already alerted the drivers and helpers of these vehicles. They did not take any chances as they were afraid their vehicles might be targeted by the rebels,” police sources said.

However, shops and markets at Dumuria area remained open and even the weekly haat at Dumuria was there as usual. Insiders of the police department said the truck that was torched had entered Dumuria from Potka. Suspected PW activists told the driver of the truck to stop the vehicle at Ghatduari village and burnt it along with the animals.