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Breaking the long lull in their activities in Andhra Pradesh, Maoists on Monday struck in the tribal areas near Visakhapatanam district and burnt two buses, after forcing the passengers to get down. The attack took place in the wake of the two-day long strike called by Maoists to protest Operation Green Hunt, which began in three states today morning.
A group of armed Maoists attacked the two buses at Lankapakala village under G K Veedhi Mandal of Visakhapatanam, said the police. The Maoists stopped the buses by blocking the road with the help of an uprooted tree and set them on fire, leaving the passengers stranded in the forest area.
The passengers then walked to GK Veedhi and informed the authorities about the incident. Both the buses belonged to the Road Transport Corporation. While one bus was traveling from Chitrakonda to Tuni, the other express bus was on its way from Pileru to Visakhapatanam.
Authorities have suspended bus services in the tribal areas of the region. Maoists have also closed other interior roads by cutting down trees and laying them across the roads.
Some television channels in Andhra Pradesh have received a video from Maoists containing footage of the Left-wing extremists attacking a Salwa Judum camp in Chattisgarh. In the video, Maoists can be seen planting explosives under police vehicles and blasting them to pieces. Police officials believe that the move is aimed at boosting the morale of the junior cadres of the extremist movement.
The video also shows Tipparti Tirupati alias Devaji, a top military specialist of the underground organisation. The police suspect that the Maoists will use the clippings for training purposes and for propaganda.
Some intelligence analysts believe that the Maoists are following in the footsteps of the Al Qaeda, which used the visual media as a major tool in its war against the United Stated and western forces.