Naxals blast DD tower in AP

Visakhapatnam, July 12 (UNI) CPI (Maoist) naxals attacked the thickly populated tribal areas of the district blasting a Doordarshan Kendra transmission tower, a guest house, an electricity sub-station and a former MLA's house in the Chintapalli Mandal of the Agency area on the Andhra-Orissa Border, near here past midnight last night.

District Police Superintendent Akun Sabharwal today said, according to preliminary reports, a large number of Maoists planted four landmines blasting the DD tower which was tossed up in the air due to the impact of the explosion. The damage was estimated at Rs one crore.

A high alert was sounded along the Andhra-Orissa Border and security tightened in the North Coastal Andhra in the agency areas.

Night patrolling and vehicle checks were being carried out in the agency areas.

Senior police officials were monitoring the situation at various border points in the North Coastal Districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.

Special Greyhounds police teams were deployed in all agency police stations, particulary in the border areas, where combing operations were underway.

The authorities also suspended APSRTC Bus services. So far there were no reports of any casualties.

The Maoists action was reportedly to protest against the proposed bauxite mining project and recent encounters in which important naxal leaders had been killed.

The naxals put banners in Chintapalli Mandal and dropped pamphlets police said.

(EDs: Here pick up suitably from earlier series) UNI