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Several naxalite attacks on railway property in 2007

Patna: Growing incidents of attacks by proscribed CPI (Maoist) on vital installations of railways in Bihar and Jharkhand during 2007 has forced the authorities to take steps for strengthening the intelligence network and start the process of appointing over 20,000 RPF men.

According to figures made available by the East Central Railway office in Hajipur and the state police headquarters here, armed naxalites blew up railway installations, including railway lines, cabins and stations in the naxal-hit Bihar and Jharkhand areas at 10 and seven places, respectively, during the period under review and destroyed property worth several crores of rupees.

In 2006, the naxalites had executed such destructive operations damaging railway property at four places each in Bihar and Jharkhand, whereas the naxalites had targeted railway property at two each places in the two states during the corresponding period previous year, official sources said.

When contacted, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said law and order was a state subject and the railways used to provide assistance to the government railway police in these states for protecting the property of the railways.

Expressing serious concern over alleged failure of the state governments in checking the activities of the naxalites that had already caused heavy damage to railway property, Mr. Prasad said he had taken up the matter with the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil seeking to issue directives to the affected six states to strengthen their intelligence network to handle the menace.

Besides, the railways had plans to appoint over 20,000 railway protection force personnel, proposals for which have been processed to the Union Finance ministry, he said adding as soon as the proposals were cleared, steps would be taken for recruitment. — PTI

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Several naxalite attacks on railway property in 2007

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