Maoists blast power supply tower in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, April 30 (IANS) About 700 forested villages in Chhattisgarh's restive southern Bastar region were plunged into darkness as Maoist militants blew up a power supply tower, police said Thursday.

Armed guerrillas of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) late Wednesday night stormed into a forested interior village, Bodli, in Bijapur district, some 500 km from capital Raipur, and set the explosives under a supply tower and blasted it off.

'At least 700 villages of Bijapur district have been blacked out after rebels detonated a 33-KV supply tower,' Ankit Garg, superintendent of police, Bijapur district, told reporters at district headquarters Bijapur town.

The power department rushed officials and technical staff from Raipur to the blast site under police escort Thursday to repair the damaged lines. The power supply is likely to be normal by late Friday or Saturday, the official said.