JAMUI/MUNGER, March 1 (Agencies): Maoists blasted railway tracks in Bihar's Jamui district and set ablaze a portion of Ratanpur station in adjoining Munger early Sunday during a bandh call by them, hitting train services mainly on the Patna-Howrah route.
The explosion occurred barely 15 minutes after the Howrah-Motihari Mithila Express crossed the track near a culvert close to Bhalui halt between Jamalpur and Kiul stations in Jamui district.
The blast uprooted both the up and down tracks and damaged the overhead traction wires, Railway sources said.
Scores of heavily armed CPI (Maoist) cadres blasted the tracks around 2.00 am, paralysing railway traffic on the vital Patna-Howrah main line, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Neelmani said.
This was the second attack by the Maoists on Railway property since the beginning of the bandh on Saturday morning.
Bhalulata station was razed and two Railway officials went missing in a simultaneous attack on Chandiposh station in Orissa's Sundergarh district.
Several trains, including Sealdah-Delhi Lalquila Express, Howrah-Amritsar Punjab Mail and Patna-Howrah Janshatabdi Express, were stranded at different railway stations following the blast.
"There are about seven trains that are stranded at different stations.
But we are confident of restoring the traffic late tonight," A K Chandra, CPRO, East Central Railway, said.
