Naxals oppose Narendra Modi's Chhattisgarh visit, create disturbances

Raipur, May 9: Naxals went on rampage in several parts of Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar region, damaging rail tracks on Kirandul-Visakhapatnam route and blocking roads, as a part of their bandh call opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on Saturday, police said.

Naxals removed fish-plates of railway track between Kakloor-Kumarsakhla villages under Kodenar police station limits in Bastar district late on Friday night, a senior police official told PTI.

Soon after getting information in this regard, security personnel were dispatched to the spot, he said, adding, the maintenance work was underway.

The rebels had called for boycott of Modi's visit to Chhattisgarh specially in Dantewada district today and had appealed for a two-day 'Dandakaranya Bandh' (8-9 May).

Keeping in view the naxal bandh, the railway had already decided not to run passenger and goods trains on Vishakhapattanam-Kirandul route during this period, he said.

Rebels had called for boycott of Modi's visit to Chhattisgarh

Meanwhile, the call for bandh has hit normal life in Bastar region as transporters have stopped plying buses to the remote areas fearing Naxal attacks.

Ultras have also blocked routes in the interiors of Sukma and Bijapur districts by felling trees and digging roads, the official said.

There were also reports of thwarting villagers at some places, who were heading to take part in Modi's programme in Dantewada, he added.

PTI