Maoists blow up government warehouse in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR: Maoist guerrillas blew up a government warehouse in Orissa's Malkangiri district during their two-day strike protesting the government offensive against them, police said Wednesday.

The rebels blasted the warehouse at Bodigata, about 40 km from Malkangiri late Tuesday, Deputy Inspector General of Police Sanjeeb Panda told IANS.

It was an unused warehouse and the rebels blasted it, anticipating that it may be used for paramilitary forces engaged in the anti-Maoist operation, he said.

Maoists are active in more than half the state's 30 districts. Malkangiri district is considered a Maoist stronghold and is 618 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.

The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist called for the strike Tuesday in the five states of Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

On Monday evening, 35 people were killed when Maoists blasted a bus in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada area.