Hyderabad, Nov 19: In a major strike, naxalites of the outlawed People`s War Group (PWG) blew up a State Transport Corporation bus killing 14 passengers, majority of them tribals, in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh. The blast occurred at Chintagattu village in Eturunagaram forest area, about 140 kms from Warangal town, police said.

The extremists mistook the bus to be carrying police personnel and blasted it using the remote control device, they said. All the 30 passengers, mostly tribals proceeding from Eturunagaram to Tupakulagudem, were killed, police added. The bus was passing through a gravel road, when the naxalites blew it to smithereens, police said.

The incident occurred around 9.00 pm in deep forests, considered as a major guerrilla base, and it took a couple of hours for information about the incident to reach police headquarters. The blast comes in the backdrop of intensified combing operations being carried out in the area by police leading to four encounters in the last one week.

The last encounter in Eturunagaram forest area yesterday resulted in the death of five naxalites and recovery of a huge haul of weapons.

"Frustrated over the increasing reverses, the PWG has resorted to this desperate act", director general of police P Ramulu said when contacted.

According to another police source in Warangal, about 10 seriously injured passengers were rushed to a hospital in Eturugnagaram, however their condition was not known.

At present, about 12 special police parties were combing the area, the DGP said.


Bureau Report