Suspected Maoists blow up track in Orissa, goods train derails

Suspected Maoists set off two explosions on railway tracks near Rourkela in Orissa in the early hours of today, causing the derailment of a goods train and disrupting train services on the busy Howrah-Mumbai route.

The blasts took place just two days after a similar explosion on the same route, between Bhalulata and Jareikala stations near Rourkela.

Today's explosions, which caused much more damage than Monday's incident, took place within a few minutes of each other on the up and down lines between Bhalulata and Bisra stations around 0150 hours this moring, South-Eastern Railway spokesman Soumitra Majumdar told NetIndian on the telephone from Kolkata.

While there was no train moving on the down line at the time of the explosions, eight wagons of a goods train that passing on the up line were derailed by the blast. However, no one was injured in the explosions, he said.

Mr Majumdar said the explosion also damaged about 1.5 km of overhead electric wires as well as some of the overhead masts on the down line.

As soon as information about the blasts was received, movement of trains on the section was stopped. The police and other security personnel, who arrived on the scene soon after, have given clearance for the resumption of operations, which is expected to happen by this evening.

Mr Majumdar said the derailed wagons would have to be cleared from the section, or moved to one side, the damaged tracks had to be repaired and the damaged overhead wires and masts had to be replaced before train services could be resumed.

In the meantime, the South-Eastern Railway has diverted some trains from Tatanagar via Purulia to Rourkela. But some trains which are stuck between Tatanagar and Rourkela are now held up on the way and might have to wait for the restoration of services before resuming their journey.

The Maoists had called for a 72-hour "bandh" from Sunday in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa and Chhattisgarh to protest against the Centre's proposed offensive against them.

NNN