Maoists blow up panchayat building and godown

MALKANGIRI: Maoists blew up a panchayat building and a godown in Orissa's Malkangiri district continuing their offensive on places being used to accommodate security forces, police said today.

More than 50 heavily armed rebels stormed into remote Markapadar village in Khairput block of the district, about 70 km from here, and blew up the two adjacent buildings using powerful landmine last night.

The Maoists then disappeared into the nearby forest shouting slogans against the government and security forces, the police said.

The attack is part of a strategy by the rebels to destroy buildings being used to accommodate central para-military forces for carrying out anti-Maoist operations in the region.

As many as eight panchayat and four school buildigs besides several government structures have been destroyed by the ultras during the past about four months in Malkangiri district, which bordering Chhattisgarh, the police added.