Rail traffic usual, MCCI bandh hits highways, mines

Though train traffic remained by and large unaffected, the loading and transportation of coal from the mines of Central Coalfields Ltd to the railway sidings in Khelari, Piparwar and Kujju reportedly came to a grinding halt.

‘‘Security forces were deployed in good number. But the workers didn’t turn up for fear of being lynched,’’ said CCL’s assistant manager Ashok Jha. Reports reaching here said that in Lohardaga, all works related to mining, loading and transportation of bauxite ores in the HINDALCO-owned mines remained paralysed.

Meanwhile, an armed squad of MCCI ultras barged into the Baralanga railway station located between Barkakana and Ramgarh section of South Eastern Railways in Hazaribagh district last night. They tore off files and snapped the power connection at around 12.15 am. The armed Naxals were reportedly yelling: ‘‘Shut down the signal, stop movement of railways’’.

Another attack occurred at Rai railway station near Khelari in Ranchi at 1 am, when a group of six-seven armed ultras locked the office of the station manager, bringing the traffic of coal rakes to a halt throughout the night. ‘‘Traffic was restored at 4 am in the morning after the police arrived,’’ said Sub-Inspector of Khelari police station Awdesh Narayan.