Maoists Mayhem: Suspected Maoists Blow up Railway Tracks in WB, Jhark’nd

With CPI (Marxists) protesting the arrest of one of their leaders by calling a bandh, two railway tracks, one at Poisaita in Jharkhand and Kantadih in Purulia district of West Bengal were blown up early on Saturday by suspected Naxals.

Due to the explosion at Poisaita in Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway, train services were adversely affected on Howrah-Mumbai route.

Richard Lakra, Railway Police Superintendent, said, “Maoists triggered the blast to blow up about 18-metre rail track. Nobody was injured in the incident.”

It may  be mentioned that Maoists had called for a bandh in protest against arrest of Chhatradhar Mahato, convener of Maoist-backed People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), in West Midnapore district of West Bengal on September 26.

Several long-distance trains, including Howrah-Bilaspur-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, were detained at several stations due to the rail track damage, railway officials said.

Railway officials said Rajdhani Express was detained at Goilkera station.

Besides, Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express was detained at Chakradharpur, Sambleshwari Express at Sini, Hapa-Howrah Express at Tatanagar, Mumbai-Howrah Mail at Manoharpur, Pune-Howrah Express at Rourkela and Mumbai-Howrah Geetanjali Express at Jharsuguda and Ahmedabad-Howrah Express at Rourkela.