By IANS,
Ranchi : Maoist rebels shot and set ablaze a truck driver’s assistant and set afire three trucks laden with bauxite in Gumla district of Jharkhand Thursday morning, police said.
“The truck driver’s assistant was first shot and later burnt by the Maoists. The rebels also set on fire three trucks,” said Superintendent of Police Narendra Kumar Singh.
The incident occurred near Amaradhalan village on Visunpur and Ghaghra national highway in Gumla district, around 145 km from Ranchi. The bauxite laden trucks were going to Hindalco factory.
The drivers of the trucks managed to escape.
“People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a Maoist organisation, has taken responsibility for the incident by leaving a pamphlet,” Singh said.
In the pamphlet, PLFI area commander Bhushan Lakra said: “The PLFI wanted to resolve some public interest issue with Hindalco, but Hindalco did not come forward to resolve the issue. The incident is the outcome of the indifferent attitude of Hindalco towards our demands.”
According to Singh: “The incident seems to be the outcome of denial of levy by Hindalco.”
Instances of Maoists setting ablaze trucks laden with bauxite are quite common in Gumla and Lohardaga districts.