Maoists blow up bridge in Odisha

Armed Maoists blew up a bridge on the river Poteru snapping road link between Kalimela and Padia in Malkangiri district early today.

A group of about 60 ultras triggered a blast using powerful explosives and destroyed the bridge in the wee hours, police said.

The incident was apparently aimed at stalling movement of security forces as they were using the vital road to undertake combing operations against the red rebels, police said.

In another incident in Kalimela area, Maoists looted the house of a Special Police Officer Lacha Madkami of Sangel village in the late last night.

Earlier, the Maoists had asked Lacha to resign from the SPO post, police said.