Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Maoists on Sunday blew up tracks in two districts in Jharkhand,throwing rail traffic out of gear for hours,in their bid to enforce the two-day Bharat bandh which began on Saturday night.
In Bokaro,they reportedly used an IED to explode a stretch of tracks between Gomia and Dumri railway stations of the East Central Railway around 3 in the morning. This left many Delhi- and Kolkata-bound trains stranded at different locations till the tracks were repaired and traffic restored by 7.10 am.
The Maoists blew up another stretch of tracks by triggering an IED between Hehegarha and Chhipadohar railway stations in Latehar district. As a result,a dozen trains,including Delhi-bound Swarna Jayanti Express and Hatia-Jammu Tawi Express,were left stranded at various places till the tracks were repaired and traffic restored.
In Pakur,the police recovered an IED near Alubera village. The landmine was discovered late last night during a search operation in Amrapara block against the Maoists. The police of Dumka,Godda and Pakur have launched the anti-Naxal operation, Pakur SP Amarnath Khanna told reporters here.
Reports reaching here said transportation of coal,minerals and forest produce remained paralysed throughout the state on Sunday during the bandh called in protest against the killing of Maoist leader Kishenji by the security forces in neighbouring West Bengal last month.
With one more victim succumbing to his injuries in Saturdays attack on the convoy of Independent MP Inder Singh Namdhari in Latehar district,the toll increased to 11 which included an eight-year-old boy.
In neighbouring Bihar,where Maoist presence is strong,a group of them stormed into Suhi village in the Kutumba police station area on Sunday and set on fire a mobile tower of private operator Airtel,the police said.
Railway service in Aurangabad district was badly hit and several passenger trains running through the district were cancelled after the Maoists blew up tracks in neighbouring Jharkhand. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Sone Nagar,Bagaha-Bishunpur,Korha,Bakri Salaiyya and Navinagar Road in the district since Saturday night due to cancellation of several trains on this route,sources said.
The bandh,however,evoked a lukewarm response on the first day in Orissa where in some areas vehicular movement was disrupted and shops closed. Road traffic was affected in several areas of Naxal-infested districts like Malkangiri,Rayagada,Gajapati,Sundargarh and Kandhamal.
Shops and business establishments remained closed in Kalimela,Motu,Padia and Chitrakonda areas of Malkangiri district,the police said.
with PTI,Patna/Bhubaneswar
