Magadh bandh call leaves feeble impact

Patna, Apr 9 (UNI) The 24-hour midnight-to-midnight Magadh bandh, called by the CPI (Maoist) in protest against the arrest of their leaders, like Arjun Singh and Binda Singh, evoked little response in the district today.

Official sources said the bandh which started last night partially affected railway and road communication. Most of the business establishments remained open in the Magadh division.

However during the bandh, the outlawed Maoist activists blew up Banshinala halt station in Gaya-Koderma section under Dhanbad division of East Central Railway (ECR) last night and took hostage four railway employees of the station.

CPRO of the East Central Railways(ECR) A K Chandra said the extremists also damaged railway track near the halt. Those who were taken hostage by the extremists in a near by railway tower were cabin man Baldeo Mistri, porter Kamal and Baldeo Yadav and a ticket collector S K Katiyar. Later the extremists released them.

Mr Chandra said that the damaged railway track was being repaired. He said the railway administration had already diverted the routes of 25 express and mail trains and had cancelled 17 passenger trains on Mughalsarai-Gaya Grand Chord section as a precautionary measure following the bandh call.

He said Railway Protection Special Force had been deployed at all vulnerble stations including Jehanabad, Pothia, Nadaul, Nadwan, Masaurhi, Chakand and others. Round the clock patrolling was being carried on the railway tracks.

The source said, elaborate security arrangements had been made in the Magadh division to thwart any subvertive activities of the Maoists.

Meanwhile, the truck and bus owners have kept their vehicles off the road as preventive measure.

Sources at the state headquarters said that barring extremists attack on Banshinala halt in Gaya district, no incident had been reported so far.

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