maoists burn
[Representational Image]Reuters

Maoists on Friday set ablaze 16 vehicles at a railway siding and also assaulted six labourers in Jharkhand's Latehar district, according to police.

The Maoists who carried out the arson belonged to the Jharkhand Janmukti Parisad, the JJMP claimed. They first attacked the Tori railway siding and came down heavily on the labourers sleeping at the spot.

After snatching away their mobile phones, the insurgents set the 16 parked vehicles at the siding on fire.

There were around 15 of the JJMP men who took to indiscriminate firing, though no one was reported injured in it.

The denial of levy from the area is said to be the reason for the attack as coal transportation is done from the Tori siding.

Following the attack, coal transportation has been stopped from Tori and additional forces deployed.