Maoists call for 48-hour bandh in 5 states

Ranchi, Jun 30: Maoists called for a two days bandh in five states after killing a local Congress leader, Bardhan Kachhu and a deadly attack in which at least 26 CRPF jawans were killed on Jun 29.

The maoists have called 48 hours bandh in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Apart from the five states, the Maoists have also called a shutdown in three districts of Maharashtra and two districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Two-days bandh began at midnight on Jun 29 in the five states against the 'anti-people policies' of the government.

This is the fifth 48-hour bandh in 2010, affecting mining activity in the mineral-rich state.

However, the Maoists have decided to exempt essential services including railways, electricity, ambulances, water, milk, vegetable and newspapers from the purview of the strike for the first time.

Various up and down trains of Ranchi-Delhi Swarna Jayanti Express, Ranchi-Varanasi inter-city and Sambalpur-Varanasi inter-city have been diverted through Gomo-Gaya-Mughalsarai route to avoid the maoists pocket, said railway sources.

The sources also added that the trains will run at a speed of 65 km in Naxal areas during nights, according to a new order.

Buses and trucks have kept off the routes for fear of Naxal attack, though security forces have been deployed in strength at strategic places, including national highways.

OneIndia News