Fear of more attacks gripped tribal Bastar a day after the Maoists blew up a private bus carrying civilians and security personnel killing 31 people and injuring 28 others as the Naxalite sponsored 48 hour bandh began today in Chhattisgarh four other states. While bus operators have decided to keep their vehicles off the road today in view of yesterdays incident of rebels targeting the bus,vehicular traffic in entire South Bastar region was thin while many places in Dantewada,Bijapur and Narayanpur areas wore a deserted look. Maoists have put up posters and banners in interior areas and also placed huge wooden logs on roads to block traffic. Inspector General of police (Bastar range) T J Longkumer said security forces have intensified search and combing operations in the problem areas,particularly in the light of the call for bandh by the Maoists. He said the police and para-military forces have been put on maximum alert to prevent any untoward incident during the two day long Maoist agitation. Security forces deployed in Bastar are not taking any chances following intelligence inputs that the Maoist rebels could unleash terror and indulge in large scale violence during the two day bandh. Police suspect a large number of Naxal cadres were camping in the forests of Dantewada. State Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar said it was for the first time that the Naxalites have targeted civilians travelling in a bus. He claimed that it was nothing but an indication of growing frustration of Maoists as they were being pushed back by the security forces. Its a desperate attempt to create fear among the people and to show that government that they can strike at their own will,he added. State Governor Shekhar Dutt,Chief Minister Raman Singh,Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar,Director General of police Vishwaranjan and state Chief secretary P Joy oommen have left for Sukma where they would meet the injured in the hospital later in the afternoon. Raman Singh is scheduled to leave for New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,who has convened a crucial meeting on internal security to discuss the Naxalite violence.
