Maoist torch vehicles in Bihar

Chitab (Bihar), Feb 8 (ANI): A group of Maoists set ablaze a truck and tractor on Monday in Bihar's Chitab village that falls under the Sherghati Police Station.

The Maoists resorted to this arson, at the villagers' refusal to pay the 'taxes' levied by the ultras.

Incidentally, this incident took place during the 72-hour shutdown call given by the Maoists since Sunday in four states - Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa.

Villagers blamed a group of Maoists for the incident.

"Around 50 of the armed Maoists had come and after doing all this, they ran towards the river," said a villager.

The Maoists gave this call as a mark of protest against the Union Government's operation to track them down.

The 72-hour-shutdown comes ahead of Tuesday's meeting of Chief Ministers of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal, to be chaired by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in Kolkata to chalk out a decisive, joint operations plan to counter the Maoists. (ANI)