Maoists have destroyed government property worth over Rs 2.25 crore in Gadchiroli and Gondia districts of Maharashtra in the last 22 years, police said today.
Taking into consideration the backwardness of these two districts, the government has provided basic facilities of telecommunication and electricity in remote areas. Various government offices have also been opened in these districts to take government schemes to the people.
However, Maoists have opposed development and kept tribals away from development, according to a press statement issued by the police department here today.
Due to fear that if tribals are brought to the mainstream of development, Maoists would lose importance, they have burnt down and destroyed government property worth more than Rs 2 crore in the last 22 years, he said.
Maoists have burnt down 55 village panchayats and destroyed the property worth Rs 51.78 lakh.
Between 1992 and 2014, Maoists burnt down 50 village panchayats in Gadchiroli district alone, while three village panchayats in Gondia district also were burnt down, the release said.
In the 1980s, when the Maoist movement began in the district, the Maoists burnt down teak wood and tendu leaves as well as government offices.
Besides village panchayats, Maoists also burnt down some village revenue (talathi) offices in Maseli village in Korchi taluka and Tekda village in Aheri taluka.
They also attacked telephone towers in Gadchiroli and Gondia districts as well as destroyed property worth over Rs 1.41 crore.
The telephone towers belonged to telephone companies like BSNL, Vodaphone, Idea and Reliance, the release said.
The Maoists also destroyed property of the electricity department worth Rs 33 lakh and created hurdles in providing power supply to people of the district, the statement said.
