Maoists Torch Mobile Tower in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa, Second Attack in Three Days

Chaibasa – Maoists set fire to a private mobile tower in West Singhbhum district late Monday night, officials reported on Tuesday. This marks the second such incident in the district within three days.

Police said a group of armed Maoists entered Bahda village under the Chotanagra police station area around midnight, warning residents to stay indoors. They poured petrol over the tower’s battery unit and control panels before igniting it, triggering multiple explosions and completely destroying the equipment. The attack disrupted mobile services across a large area.

The insurgents reportedly remained in the village for nearly an hour after the attack, leaving behind posters and pamphlets threatening revenge for the deaths of comrades in recent security operations. The site is just a few kilometers from Chotanagra police station and a nearby security camp.

Police launched a search operation after arriving at the scene Tuesday morning. Villagers, already on edge from a similar attack on October 11-12 in the Jaraikela police station area, were reportedly panicked.

The incident comes amid rising Maoist activity in the Saranda Forest region. On October 10, CRPF Head Constable Mahendra Lashkar was killed and two officers injured in IED blasts by Maoists. Officials said the attacks are part of the Maoists’ “Revenge Week” (October 8-14), protesting the killing of their cadres.

The group has also called for a shutdown on October 15 across five states – Jharkhand, Bihar, northern Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Assam – warning of “major action” if their demands are ignored.

With inputs from IANS