Maoists continue to target schools during Jharkhand bandh

Maoists blew up the house of an RJD leader in Chatra district and schools in Palamau and Khunti district as the two-day Jharkhand shutdown called by the Naxalites entered the second day on Monday.

About 100 armed Naxalites surrounded the house of RJD's block president Chandrika Yadav at Chatra's Johri village Sunday night and asked the family members to vacate the house, Superintendent of Police Jatin Narwal told reporters here.

The Maoists then packed dynamites in every room before triggering the blast, he said. The Maoists left notes warning against participation in the ensuing elections.

In another incident, a group of Maoists bombed a school at Soude village in Khunti district last night, district Superintendent of Police A V Minz said. They also destroyed two schools late last night at Kharagpur and Bhavwar villages in Palamau district, police said.

Maoists have blasted seven schools in the district over the weekend. They blew up five schools, besides a panchayat bhavan on Saturday night. During intensive patrolling, security forces recovered two landmines yesterday, each weighing 20 kg, planted beneath the Medininagar-Panki Road in Palamau, police said.