Thursday, January 26 2006 12:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhubaneswar: Suspected Maoists burnt down an iron ore-laden truck and set up road blocks in some places in western and southern Orissa as the call for the countrywide bandh given by the ultras evoked little response in the state today (Jan 26,2006).

A report from Sambalpur said that the naxalites blocked a bridge from both ends near Rengali Badmal, about 25 from the district town under Jujumara police station in the wee hours today.

The blockade affected traffic on the nh-42 linking Cuttack with Sambalpur with hundreds of vehicles including buses and trucks held up on both sides, police said.

Passengers said there were 15 armed ultras, including four w, clad in black and green fatigues who burnt automobile tyres on the bridge and tied ropes across the bridge.

Some of them deflated the tyres of some of the vehicles while asking the passengers not to use their mobiles to inform the police.

After bringing the traffic to a standstill for about an hour between 2 am and 3 am, the ultras disappeared into the nearby Jarang forest as a team of grey hound personnel arrived.

Traffic had been restored on the highway thereafter, the sources said.

Police said armed ultras intercepted a ten-wheel truck, laden with iron ore fines, between Jamadih and Toda, close to K Balang police station in sundargarh district, and burnt it down early this morning.