After derailing train, Maoists target mines

Maoists on Friday exploded a bomb in Meghatpur mine and planted another at Kiribur, both run by public sector Steel Authority of India Limited along the Orissa-Jharkhand border.

The attack comes hours after the Maoists blasted rail tracks in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district that derailed the Tata-Bilaspur passenger train leaving two passengers dead.

Senior officials in Kirbur told PTI that a group of armed Maoists stormed into the loading point in Meghatpur mines on the Orissa side and exploded a bomb damaging the conveyor belt.

Loading and unloading of iron ore was severely affected at Meghatpur mines under the SAIL [ Get Quote ] as a result.

In the second incident, the ultras planted a bomb in the conveyor belt in Kiribur mines, about 15 km from Meghatpur and 120 km from Rourkela on the Jharkhand side, but it did not explode, the sources said.

Police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel defused the bomb. There was no report of any casualty.

The mining operation in other units, however, were unaffected and elaborate security arrangements were made in all mining areas in view of the Maoists' call for bandh in Jharkhand on Friday.

Orissa Police also sealed all entry and exit points bordering Jharkhand and round-the-clock patrolling was being done in the Maoist-prone areas in Sundargarh district.