Red alert across Bihar in view of Maoists bandh call

Patna, Apr 16: Bihar government has sounded a red alert across the state in view of the Maoist sponsored 24-hours bandh which started last midnight.

State Director General of Police (DGP) S C Jha told UNI here today that all police stations in the state had been put on high alert in view of the bandh.

He said the district police superintendents had been asked to remain cautious and take necessary action to foil the attempts of the ultras.

Mr Jha claimed that the bandh was so far peaceful and no untoward incident had been reported from any corner of the state.

Keeping in mind the trend of the Maoists attack, who mostly execute their operations during the night hours, he said the security personnel have been directed to maintain strict vigil during the period.

The security had also been tightened at all public places.

The Railways had been asked to keep an extra vigil on the tracks to prevent any eventuality, the DGP said.

A group of armed Maoists attacked the Sesar railway station on Gaya-Dehri rail division of East Central Railways last night and took the assistant station master in their captive.

The extremists also removed fish plates on the tracks of the section, at five different places following which the train services on the route remained paralysed for over five hours.

Later the maoists released the assistant station master, sources said.

The sources at the railway headquarter said the engineers repaired the fish plates and train sevices were restored around at around 0500 hours.

The Railway sources informed that more than six passenger trains had been cancelled while some been diverted. The DGP further stated that special vigil was being maintained along the Bihar-Jharkhand border adding that a massive combing operation had been launched by security personnel of both the states to flush out the maoists.

Meanwhile, a report from Aurangabad quoting officials said that the vehicles were off the road and the area bore a deserted look.

All business establishments and educational institutions remained closed during the bandh.

Earlier, six cops and a porter were killed and several others sustained injuries in the maoists attack on Jhajha railway station on the night of April 13.

The banned extremists had blew up the GRPF station at Jhajha station and also planted detonators in the station building and ATM counter.

Later, taking serious note of the complaints of alleged links between Officer in-charge of GRP at Jhajha station Shakti Verma and the Maoists, the DGP had ordered suspension of the officer and also instituted inquiry against him.

The maoists have called for the bandh in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa and Chhatishgarh in protest against the killing of their carders in police encounters at Bandu forests in Jharkhand's Garhwa district.

UNI