BIJAPUR- In a latest incident, Naxalites set fire to a mobile phone tower in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, damaging its equipment, police said on Monday, December 2, 2024.
The act occurred during the night between Sunday and Monday in Mormed village, located within the Toynar police station limits. A police official said the Naxalites committed the act to oppose ongoing development efforts in the region.
The operation was conducted in the Gorna, Mankeli, and Ishulnar areas, where several explosive devices, including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and a highly dangerous High-Explosive (HE) bomb, were discovered.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the perpetrators, disguised as civilians, stormed the tower site and ignited the equipment installed at its base. The fire caused significant damage to the infrastructure. After receiving an alert on Monday morning, a police team was dispatched to the site to assess the situation.
The tower, operated by a leading telecom company, was recently installed under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme. This initiative aims to deliver affordable and quality telecom and digital services to rural and remote areas of the country.
Police believe the attack reflects the Naxalites' frustration with development and welfare projects that are being implemented in the region.
What is an HE Bomb? An HE bomb, as explained by the Ordnance Directorate of India, is a 51 mm mortar bomb designed for area targeting and anti-personnel purposes. Known for its high effectiveness, it detonates instantly upon firing, causing extensive damage.
In this instance, Naxalites had planned to use the HE bomb by linking it to an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). However, the combined efforts of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) successfully neutralized the threat by destroying the explosives.
This operation averted a potentially devastating attack, though the Bijapur Police and Security Forces have yet to release an official statement on the matter.
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