Jkhand bandh: 2 killed, Maoists blast railway station

Two people were killed in an explosion triggered by the Maoists, who also blasted a railway station, uprooted tracks and blew up school buildings during their two-day Jharkhand bandh, which began on Sunday.

In a blast triggered by the Maoists at Amjore village in East Singhbhum district, two people were killed and five others were injured, said Deputy Superintendent (Police Control Room) Dinesh Oraon.

A contingent of security forces has reached the spot to track down the Ultras, he said.

The extremists also blew up Mahubuang railway station in Simdega district and railway tracks early in the morning, Inspector General of Police V Deshmukh said, adding that they also blew up a stretch of railway track between Jageswar and Dania stations in Bokaro district late on Saturday night in which electricity lines were torn.

The blasts disrupted train services on the route, railway officials said. However, security personnel have reached the spot and repair work is going on, they added.

In Pipra village at Palamau district, the Maoists blew up a Panchayat hall and five school buildings hours before the bandh, Palamau police chief Jatin Narwal said.

Meanwhile, the state borders with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have been sealed, Deshmukh said.

The bandh mostly affected rural areas as long distance buses kept off the road, the police said.