Kolkata, March 22: Security forces are on high alert in view of the 48-hour bandh called by Maoists in six states, namely Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, beginning Monday. The shutdown by Maoists, called to protest the security forces’ ongoing Operation Green Hunt against them, is also being enforced in three districts of Maharashtra – Bhandara, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli.
“The bandh call on March 22 and March 23 is to protest the operations targeted against the movement of the common people led by Maoists,” top Naxal leader Kishenji alias Koteswar Rao said.
While the bandh began just few hours ago, the Naxals have already struck twice, blowing up a rail track in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district and blasting a road bridge in Ghatshila sub-division of East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
While in West Bengal Maoists struck on the Midnapore-Gudiyappa Shola rail track, in Jharkhand the ultras blew up the bridge connecting Musaboni and Dumaria by exploding a landmine.
While calling for the bandh, Kishenji had accused the police of killing Maoist leader Appa Rao at Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh.
“It was a cold blooded murder by police. He was an ideological leader and was never involved in violent activities,” he said.
The bandh has also been called to protest the rise in prices of essential commodities and petrol and diesel. Maoists claim the 2010 Union Budget was anti-poor and prepared on the diktat of the World Bank.
—–Agencies