The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) have given a call for State-wide bandh (general shut down strike) on August 10, in protest against the alleged illegal mining of laterite and bauxite in the Agency areas in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari Districts of Andhra Pradesh, reports The Hindu on August 2. In a letter released by Maoist’s Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) ‘secretary’ Ganesh on August 2, the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) appealed to the tribals in the region and people from all sections of the society to participate in the bandh and make it a success. The Maoists have also urged the tribals from the affected villages to take a militant stand and drive away the mining companies and have also asked them to destroy the trucks and heavy earthmoving equipment that are being used for mining. The Maoists also urged the tribals not to allow the Police to organise volleyball tournaments and medical camps in the interior villages, as in the garb of doing so they were actually trying to protect the roads constructed to facilitate mining and aid the company. Apart from giving the bandh call, they demanded that the construction of the road be stopped.