Maoists blow-up two railway stations in Orissa
Maoists menace struck early and hard in Orissa on Saturday, as the insurgent-rebels blew up two railway stations on Howrah-Mumbai and Rourkela-Barasuan section in Sundergarh district, about 450 km from the state capital Bhubhaneshwar.
Railway officials say two officials are feared abducted. South East Railway chief PRO Soumitra Mazumdar told correspondents: “The station master of Chandiposh SK Singh and his assistant Samir Mukherjee have gone missing since the attack.”
Nearly 70 rebels, including women, attacked Bhalulata railway station, 25 km from Rourkela. Correspondents attributing information to the local police chief said the Maoists used landmines and explosives to blow up the place.
They added that an intense combing operation was underway to locate and nab the culprits.
The impact of the explosions caused severe damage to the station building, railway engineers are reported to be conducting assessment of the extent of damage caused to the tracks or if they had been booby trapped.
Three railway employees initially feared missing from Bhalulata station have reported back to the station.
Meanwhile another group of Maoists attacked the Chandiposh, about 30 km from Bhubhaneshwar on Rourkela-Barasuan section.
Security at railway facilities across the state have been heightened, the attack coincided with a 24 hour bandh, called by the rebels in Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and West Bengal.
