Suspected Naxals torch 2 offices in Gadchiroli

Gadchiroli (Maha), Sep 10: A village panchayat office and a forest department office were set on fire allegedly by Naxals in two separate incidents in the district, police said today.

"In the first incident, the outlaws burnt down the panchayat office of Durgapur village near Pendhri in Dhanora taluka in the wee hours today," Sub-inspector Tejaswi Patil, who is also a spokesperson of Gadchiroli police, here said.

Durgapur lies around 70 kms from Gadchiroli city.

According to Patil, the Naxals entered the panchayat premises and set on fire the furniture, documents and other material in the office, following which they fled from the spot. As nobody came forward to extinguish the fire, all the material was reduced to ashes.

Police said that around the same time, a forest department office of Perimili in Aheri taluka was also set on fire in which all the documents and office furniture were completely damaged.

According to police, this is the fourth forest office that was burnt by the ultras in the last couple of months.

PTI