Phulbani: In a tragic incident, a youth was killed when a landmine put up by Maoists exploded in Phiringia Block of Kandhamal today. The youth is identified as 20 year old Priyaranjan Kanhar of Sangidia Kuamunda village in Phiringia. The Maoists are calling for boycott of the Panchayat polls in the area and had previously put banners warning violent action. Yesterday, the Maoists had torched two JCB machines in the area that were being used in the road construction work. Singidia has been one of the remotest areas with a presence of Maoists.
Getting some reliable information, a bomb disposal squad had gone to the area yesterday and safely neutralized a landmine. Recently, a journalist was killed in a landmine blast in Kalahandi district.