<p>The violence and the two-day shutdown come ahead of the second phase of assembly polls Dec 2.<br />The rebels Monday morning blew up a police jeep by detonating a landmine near Kasikewal in Chatra district, around 170 km from here. Three policemen were injured in the blast, an official said.<br />The injured were airlifted by helicopters and have been admitted to hospital.<br />In Khuti district, Maoist rebels blasted a bridge near Kasaribera village and blew up a school building at Sowde village. Rebels have blown up 10 school buildings this month. They are targeting schools as security forces are camping there for the elections.<br />On Sunday night, the rebels blew up the house of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) block president Chandrika Yadav house in Johri village of Chatra district by using dynamites.<br />However, the RJD leader was not in the house when it was blown up.<br />The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has called for a two-day strike beginning Sunday in Jharkhand, demanding that Maoist leader Ashok Mahto either be produced in court or before the media. Police, however, say Mahto has not been arrested.<br />Maoists claim he was held by the police two months back.<br />Maoist rebels have also asked people to boycott the staggered five-phased assembly polls that end Dec 18.<br />In the second phase of elections Dec 2, polling will be held in 14 assembly constituencies that are situated in Maoist strongholds.<br /></p>
<p>The violence and the two-day shutdown come ahead of the second phase of assembly polls Dec 2.<br />The rebels Monday morning blew up a police jeep by detonating a landmine near Kasikewal in Chatra district, around 170 km from here. Three policemen were injured in the blast, an official said.<br />The injured were airlifted by helicopters and have been admitted to hospital.<br />In Khuti district, Maoist rebels blasted a bridge near Kasaribera village and blew up a school building at Sowde village. Rebels have blown up 10 school buildings this month. They are targeting schools as security forces are camping there for the elections.<br />On Sunday night, the rebels blew up the house of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) block president Chandrika Yadav house in Johri village of Chatra district by using dynamites.<br />However, the RJD leader was not in the house when it was blown up.<br />The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has called for a two-day strike beginning Sunday in Jharkhand, demanding that Maoist leader Ashok Mahto either be produced in court or before the media. Police, however, say Mahto has not been arrested.<br />Maoists claim he was held by the police two months back.<br />Maoist rebels have also asked people to boycott the staggered five-phased assembly polls that end Dec 18.<br />In the second phase of elections Dec 2, polling will be held in 14 assembly constituencies that are situated in Maoist strongholds.<br /></p>
