Maoists blow up tracks,kill police informer

Maoists on Sunday blew up tracks on the Jhaja-Jasidih section of the East Central Railway in Bihars Jamui district and killed an alleged police informer in Orissas Sundergarh district to enforce a 72-hour bandh in five states West Bengal,Bihar,Jharkhand,Orissa and Chhattisgarh. The three-day bandh has been called by the CPI Maoist to protest against the joint offensive being planned by the states against them. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is scheduled to meet chief ministers of West Bengal,Orissa,Bihar and Jharkhand in Kolkata on Tuesday.

About 40 Maoists blew up tracks late on Saturday night between Rajla and Narganjo railway halts near Kahba bridge,affecting movement of several long-distance and local trains,official sources said.

The police said over 40 ultras blew up 2.5 feet of Up line and five feet of Down line near Rajla station on Jhaja-Jasidih section of East Central Railway,about 360 km from Howrah,late on Saturday night. Jamui and adjoining railway stations are targeted by ultras at regular intervals and almost at will.

In Orissa,the Maoists killed Sukura Oram on Saturday night after abducting him from his sisters marriage ceremony at Kumakela village under the Chandiposh police station in Sundargarh district. His body with the throat slit was found on Sunday morning near Champajharan overbridge.

In Jharkhand,though the bandh passed off peacefully,the threat of violence kept private and public transport off the roads.