The banned Communist Party of India (Maoists) blew up part of a railway track between Chhipadohar and Hehegerha railway stations in Latehar district in west Jharkhand on Saturday night. They also attacked public buildings in other districts during a 48-hour bandh declared by them protesting the killing of 10 Maoists in Chatra district on March 27-28.
Three trains, including the Rajdhani Express and the Intercity Express, were stationed at Latehar station on Saturday till the track was repaired early Sunday morning.
In Chainpur, Gumla district, Maoists opened fire on Chainpur police station on Saturday night but no one was injured. “There was exchange of fire between the police and the Maoists between 1-5 a.m. but they fled,” said Gumla Superintendent of Police Rakesh Bansal. Reportedly, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted at the Chainpur police station on Sunday but Mr. Bansal denied to comment on it. Maoists had opened fire and killed five personnel of Jharkhand Armed Police’s Sixth Battalion in the same area on April 3.
In Harihargunj in Palamu district, 80 km from the district headquarters, an IED was triggered at the block development office building on Saturday night. “There was minor damage to the building and a window was broken. Some documents got burnt in one part of office. But the police reached within 30 minutes. The Maoists fired at police and police fired around 20 rounds,” said Palamu SP Anup T. Matthew.
No major incidents were reported from Ranchi, Jamshedpur or any other city in the State.
