Ranchi, Feb. 12: Loading of bauxite on heavy vehicles in Lohardaga from a mine leased to Hindalco Industries resumed today, two days after armed men forced drivers at gunpoint to roll down a gorge eight bauxite-laden trucks and dumpers in Daharbatighati area of Kisko block, 20km from district headquarters and 150km from Ranchi.

Denying that the saboteurs were CPI(Maoist) members, Lohardaga SP Karthik S. told The Telegraph they possibly belonged to rival splinter group Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC).

All the vehicles had been rescued but no arrest has been made yet. "Our raids are on and the culprits will be nabbed soon," SP Karthik said.

On Wednesday evening, armed men stopped bauxite-laden heavy vehicles that were on their way to the Lohardaga railway siding, some 25km from the point, for their final loading to Hindalco's alumina plant in Ranchi district's Muri. Forcing labourers to get down, they ordered drivers to slowly roll their vehicles down the gorge and then jump off in time.

As those who tried to resist were manhandled, terrified drivers complied and fled.

Though no casualty took place, bauxite loading, a key source of livelihood in the rebel-hit zone, was paralysed yesterday.

"Bauxite mining did not stop," the SP added. "But, the incident did hit its transport (to Muri) to a certain extent. But, we swung into action immediately and things are normal now."

On the influence of Maoists and splinter groups in the area, a man in Peshrar block, near Kisko, said: "In their heydays, they (rebels) did help us, and many people became sympathisers, but now villagers have realised violence doesn't help. So, extorting money from contractors has become a compulsion of rebels and they try to inject fear in whichever way they can," the man, not willing to be named, added.

But, though rebel influence may be on the wane, the climate of fear persists.

Six months ago, a contractor allotted the construction of a PWD road linking Kisko with district headquarters, flatly refused to do so.