Naxalites torch mobile phone tower in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

Bijapur: Naxalites set ablaze a mobile phone tower of a prominent telecom company in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, causing damage to its equipment, police said on Monday.

The incident took place on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday in Mormed village under Toynar police station limits, a police official here said, adding that Naxalites committed the act out of frustration to oppose development works in the area.

As per preliminary information, Naxalites, dressed as civilians, stormed the site and set equipment installed at the bottom of the tower on fire, he said.

The equipment was damaged in the incident.

After being alerted on Monday morning, a police team was sent to the spot, the official said.

The Jio company's tower was recently set up in Mormed under the USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) scheme, aimed to provide quality and affordable telecom and digital services in rural and remote areas of the country, the official said.

Naxalites, who are against development and welfare works, have committed the act out of frustration, he said.