Maoist firing scares away passengers from buses

Reports coming in from interiors of the Maoist stronghold of Bastar said that Maoists attack on a passenger bus Tuesday created a scare in the entire Bastar region Wednesday.

Passengers kept away from buses though movement of passenger vehicles in the region was as usual.Maoists Tuesday opened fire on a crowded passenger bus in Bijapur district smashing the window panes. No passenger, who included some policemen, were injured in the incident.

On Wednesday, many passenger vehicles were seen plying in the interiors and even national highway 221 in Dantewada district and national highway 16 in Bijapur district but there were few commuters.

The tribal-dominated Bastar region is roughly 40,000 sq km in area and is split into five districts - Bijapur, Bastar, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Kanker.