Naxalstoday set on firea busafter asking its occupants to alightin Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Dantewada district.
The move by Naxals comes a day after its four women cadres were gunned down in a fierce gun-battle with security forces in the region.
The incident occurred near restive Gatam village under Katekalyan police station limits when the government-run Jan Suvidha Express bus was on its way to Dantewada from Katekalyan, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI.
Over 24 armed cadres stopped the vehicle near Gatam, and asked the passengers to get down from thebusafter which the Naxals set it ablaze, he said.
No one was hurt in the incident, he said.
Terming the incident as a reaction by rebels to the yesterday's encounter, Kashyap said the Naxals are frustrated with the increasing pressure of security forces in the region. Such cowardly acts are an outcome of their frustration, he said.
Soon after being informed, security forces rushed to the spot, the official said adding that a combing operation has been launched in the region to nab the attackers.
FourwomenNaxalswere yesterday killed and a top Maoistleader injured in an encounter with security forces inNagalguda Pahad (hill)of Gadiras area, which falls on the Sukma-Dantewada border, located around 450 km from here.
76 Maoist cadres were killed between January and April
this year as against 15 killed in the corresponding period of 2015.
665 Maoists were arrested and 639 surrendered in the first four months of 2016 whereas 435 Naxals were arrested and 134 surrendered in the corresponding period last year.
In 2015, 226 people died in 1,088 incidents of violence perpetrated by the rebels. Of the 226 deaths, 168 were civilians and 58 security personnel.
While 89 Maoists were also killed and 1,668 were arrested last year, 570 cadres surrendered before authorities.
As compared to 2013, there was 42 per cent decrease in 2015 in the resultant deaths (civilians and security forces).
According to a recent Parliamentary Standing Committee report, Naxal activities continue to be a matter of concern with 35 districts in seven states being badly-hit.
"Left Wing Extremism (LWE) remains an area of concern for internal security of the country.
"CPI (Maoist) continues to be the most potent among the various LWE outfits in the country and accounts for more than 80 per cent of total LWE violence incidents and resultant deaths," the report said.
