Ranchi, Aug 25 - A two-day strike imposed by Maoists in five eastern Indian states to demand the release of two of its leaders evoked a partial response Tuesday and saw violence in Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar.
The rebels blasted structures and set vehicles on fire in Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar. Normal life was hit in parts of West Bengal. No untoward incident was reported from Chhattisgarh, police said.
The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) Monday called the strike to demand the release of two of its cadres allegedly arrested in Bihar Aug 19.
In Orissa, the guerrillas blew up a building and torched at least eight vehicles at Roxy railway station in Sundergarh district.
'They blasted a building at a railway station located near Jharkhand. It is the only incident of violence reported so far,' Sanjeev Marik, the state inspector general of police, told IANS.
'There is no impact of the Maoist bandh in Orissa. Life is normal,' he said.
Early Tuesday, rebels in Jharkhand set four trucks ablaze on the Ranchi-Jamshedpur highway. One truck driver was injured.
According to police, the guerrillas blasted a mobile phone tower in Lali village of Latehar district late Monday. The rebels also set on fire generators and other material in the tower.
In Bihar, a community hall was blasted in Irki in Aurangabad district.