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Maoists blast tracks in Bihar

PATNA: Communist Party of India (Maoist) members caused derailment of a train and crippled train services on the Howrah-Delhi route by blasting both the up and down tracks early on Monday, during a bandh they called in five districts of Bihar. Earlier, they blew up a sub-divisional office and looted foodgrains from the FCI granary in Munger district.

The bandh was called in Bhagalpur, Munger, Lakhisarai, Banka and Jamui district to protest the arrest of five Maoists, including their top leader Sunil Marandi, on Friday last.

The naxalites blasted the rail tracks between Narganjo and Ghorparan stations in Jamui district leading to the derailment of the Poorvanchal Express, besides bringing to a halt movement of trains on the crucial Howrah-Delhi route for several hours.

The cargo van of the Poorvanchal Express derailed when the train passed through the damaged track. There were no casualties.

Several trains remained stranded on both the up and down routes for several hours till the tracks were restored.

Prior to this, a few hours earlier on Sunday night, the naxalites blasted two rooms of the SDO of the Kharagpur subdivision of Munger district with dynamites destroying property and records. They also looted sacks of foodgrains from the FCI storeroom located in the vicinity.

Marcus Dam reports from Kolkata:

Train services on the Asansol-Jhajha main line section of the Eastern Railway were affected for nearly six hours, Eastern Railway authorities said here. Services were resumed on the up and down tracks by 9.30 a.m.

The breaches on the tracks were noticed at around 2.45 a.m. by the driver and guard who immediately stopped the Down Poorvanchal Express that was leaving Narganjo station. It was reported to senior railway officials who rushed to the site to start restoration work, an Eastern Railway press release said.

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