Patna, October 30
In a major offensive Maoist guerrillas, also known as Naxals, blasted a railway track in Begusarai district of Bihar today.
The ultras reportedly triggered the powerful blast in support of the 24-hour bandh called by them today in Bihar and Jharkhand to protest the killing of four Maoist activists in Jharkhand on Saturday night.
Source: The Tribune, October 31, 2007
The four Maoist cadres were killed by the police in an encounter at Lohardaga in Jharkhand following the biggest ever civilian massacre of recent times killing 18 people, including the younger son of a former Chief Minister, in Giridih on Friday night. 23 districts of Bihar of a total 38 are now said to be under the grip of the Maoists, against 18 of 24 districts in Jharkhand.
Eastern-Central Railways (ECR) was forced to divert many trains today as the normal movement of trains on the Barauni-Katihar route under Samastipur division was disrupted after the blast.
A team of local police, as well as Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, rushed to the blast site to restore normalcy. No casualty or injury was reported till the filing of the report.
Following the blast,security at important government installations was beefed up. Railway police personnel were deployed in all Maoist-affected areas in Bihar and tracks were being monitored to avert possible sabotage.
Sources in the intelligence said the recent decision by the Bihar and Jharkhand governments to launch a joint combing operation in border areas of the two states, in the wake of Giridih massacre in Jharkhand, might have been the immediate provocation for the Maoists to launch this fresh offensive.
