Maoists blow up rly tracks,damage block office in Jamui

Jamui, Jul 11 (UNI) In a pre-dawn attack, Maoist guerrillas blew up railway tracks by exploding dynamite between Narganjo and Simultulla stations under Quil-Jamalpur division.

''Around 200 ultras, including women, clad in police uniform, blew up the railway tracks near Ghoghi-Bariyarpur halt by exploding dynamite at around 0130 hours,'' Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar said here.

Railway sources said traffic on the Howrah-Delhi route was disrupted and stranded trains were being diverted through the Up line. Senior railway authorities were camping at the spot to monitor the repair work.

Mr Kumar said about two metres of railway tracks in the Down line suffered damage. The blast created a five-metre crater under the tracks. He said the ultra-left rebels could not damage the Up line as they were alarmed by the engine's light of the Farakka Express.

Several passengers got stranded at different places. Some express trains too were stranded at various points.

Meanwhile, the Maoists attacked the block office of Lakshmipur, damaging a portion.

Mr Kumar said soon after hearing the explosion, forces of the BMP and SAP, deployed at nearby police station of Lakshmipur, swung into action and fired at the extremists. The encounter continued for few hours during which the police fired 150 rounds.

He said the Maoists escaped taking advantage of the darkness.

The district's borders had been sealed and combing operation launched.

The extremists had given a call for Eastern Bihar bandh today to protest the recent arrest of their leader Deepak Das by the Jamui police.

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