Bhubaneshwar:Suspected Maoists have blown up a mobile phone tower in Orissa's Malkangiri District. The incident occurred late on Thursday night. According to Deputy
Inspector General of Police Sanjeeb Panda a group of armed Maoists blew up the mobile
phone tower
at Kudmuluguda area. The tower belongs to Airtel company. In 2009 alone, Maoists
have demolished 71 school buildings, 23 Panchayat Bhawans, two power plants. They
also destroyed 67 telephone exchanges or mobile towers. Maoists also targeted
railway property for 46 times and targeted specific industrial establishments
at least 17 times in 2009. Earlier this month, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
described the Maoists as anti-poor and anti-development. He had said the Maoists
have targeted all instruments of development. "The Naxalites are anti-development
and have targeted the very instruments of development - school buildings, roads,
telephone towers etc. They know that development will mean the masses, especially
poor tribals, wean them away from the grip of Naxalites," Chidambaram said.
