Naxals lay siege to railway station, blow up bridge

Ranchi, June 27 (UNI) Defying tight security, the CPI (Maoist) ultras today laid siege to a railway station for hours and detonated powerful landmines blowing up a busy bridge as the Naxal-sponsored 48-hour economic blockade entered the second day in Jharkhand.

The blockade would end at midnight tonight.

Chief Minister Madhu Koda expressed concern over the spurt in the naxalite movement, saying the whole state was under the grip of insurgents. Mr Koda made this statement at an official function held here on the occasion of inauguration of Police Wireless Bhavan.

The Naxal's agitation has had a cascading impact on economy, leading to loss of property worth hundreds of crores of rupees so far.

Asked to comment on the situation and measures taken to control the situation, Jharkhand Home Secretary Sudhir Tripathy told UNI that the government would not take any action which would lead to ''civilian casualties''.

South East Railway Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Vivek Srivastav told UNI over phone that armed Naxals laid siege to Hatiya-Rourkela Railway Zone and brought the movement of trains to a virtual halt.

The Hatiya-bound Tapaswini Express from Puri and another passenger train were stopped at separate places.

Though the ultras freed the station by noon, the trains were yet to ply awaiting security clearance from the police.

In Chatra, the CPI (Maoist) activists detonated a powerful landmine blowing up a bridge under Hantarganj police station.

Police said the CPI (Maoist) ultras, on the second day of their stir, exploded the landmine blowing the bridge over the Ghari river at busy Hantarganj-Pratappur road near Kasikebal village.

Yesterday, the Maoists torched a vehicle of a marriage party in the district after dragging out all its occupants.

In Bokaro, the CPI (Maoist) ultras blew up railway tracks this morning between Dumri and Dania under Gomiya police station.

Police said hundreds of armed Naxals had damaged about two-and-a-half km railway tracks in the area.

The Naxals had yesterday stopped a coal-laden goods train at a place between Daniya and Jagehar in Bihar and unloaded coal from about 59 bogies.

Today, the Ranchi-New Delhi Swarna Jayanti Express X X X EDS PICK UP FROM PARA ONE LINE ONE OF CA 31 INSURGENCY-JHARKHAND- ECONOMIC BLOCKADE TWO LAST RANCHI.

UNI