Maoists Kill One, Burn Buses as Two-day Bandh Starts across Three States

Suspected Maoists have killed one person and injured one other and set two buses on fire as the two-day bandh called by them across three states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar started today, said media reports.

Rebels shot two persons near Lalgarh killing one of them and injuring other while in Orissa, they set ablaze two busses buses at the Orissa-Andhra Pradesh border, reports said.

Indian Railways cancelled and diverted some other trains passing through or originating out of these states besides restricting speed of flagship Rajdhani Express, said reports.

The steps were taken to prevent any untoward incident during the bandh particularly after Naxal attack on Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express during a similar bandh last month, derailing the train near Gaya, reports said.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had told Parliament just last week that Maoist violence and bandhs had cost the Railways Rs 500 crore while asking the states to provide security to rail passengers and property.

(Based on internet reports)