Panchayat bhawan, mobile tower blown up

A panchayat bhawan and a mobile tower were blown up allegedly by naxals late in Balu panchayat of Maoist-affected Latehar district, a senior police officer today said.

A group of suspected Maoists, armed with guns, arrived at Balu late last night and blew up the panchayat bhawan, DIG (Palamau) Saket Kumar Singh said.

The ultras also set on fire a mobile tower belonging to a private mobile service provider, Singh said, adding the tower was set up near the panchayat bhawan.

Unconfirmed reports, however, claimed two mobile towers, of different service providers, were set on fire by the ultras.