Three earth moving machines engaged in the Forest department's social projects were set ablaze allegedly by an emerging ultra outfit at Lalmati village in naxal-hit Palamau district, forest department sources said today.
A group of ultras arrived in the village and assaulted the employees of a private firm before setting afire three JCB machines engaged cutting trench and social forestry project under Medininagar Forest Division, said Forest Officer Saryu Yadav.
Yadav said three operators of the JCB machines Sadam Khan, Satan Alam and Izaz Alam were assaulted by the ultras.
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He said the forest department have been carrying out plantation of 83,000 sapling under its social forestry project since February last by engaging labourers but recently pressed three JCB machines to complete the project.
Police Inspector Indrasen Choudhary confirmed the incident and suspected that the incident was the handiwork of an emerging outfit.
