Maoists blow up solar power firm’s buildings

Suspected Maoists blew up the office of a private solar power plant in Gaya district of south central Bihar early Tuesday morning.

There were, however, no report of casualty.

Additional superintendent of police (anti-Naxal operations) Arun Kumar said about 25 Maoists, including women, raided the premises of Wellson Energy Company Private Limited at Saun village in Aamas police station area, 50 km from Gaya and 150 km south Patna, held hostage two guards of a security agency deployed there and triggered a dynamite blast.

The explosion blew up the control room and the administrative building on the 125-acre premises of the solar power company, the ASP said.

The Maoists also set on fire other buildings adjacent to the control room, he added.

The entire operation lasted for about an hour, eyewitnesses and security guards said.

The company produces 20-22 MW power through 90,000 solar plates and sells it to the grid in Gaya district’s Sherghati sub-division for distribution.

Non-payment of levy, demanded by the Maoists, is believed to be the reason for the attack. Sources said the Maoists had earlier demanded a levy of Rs 1 crore from the company, but

executives refused to make the payment. The police have, however, refuted the levy-demand theory. The attack was an act of desperation by Maoists following stepped up operations by security forces against them, they said.