Maoist guerillas set afire Railway goods, open fire on workers

Arah, Jan 22 (UNI) The Maoist guerillas today burnt seven tractors and several heavy machineries and threatened labourers with dire consequences at a railway project site near Piro station in Bhojpur district of south Bihar.

Police sources quoting preliminary reports said a gang of about 100 heavily armed Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) guerillas raided the railway project site near the remote station, about 50 km from here, at around 0300 hrs and started firing indiscrimately to scare about 70 odd workers, who were fast asleep.

The ultras then fired several rounds in the air and tied some of the workers before setting ablaze all the seven tractors and several heavy machineries, which were being used in the said project work by a private company.

The ultras soon fled under the cover of darkness after destroying the property worth some lakhs.

Later, a strong posse of policement arrived at the spot and launched a massive manhunt, but no one has been arrested so far.

The private company was involved in the laying of railway tracks in the remote region, the police added.

UNI XC-ABA PP KD AS1416