Trains stranded near West Midnapore fearing Maoists attacks

WEST MIDNAPORE - Many trains were stranded near Sardiha station in West Midnapore district of West Bengal following planting of land mines on railway tracks by Maoist groups.

The banned militant group Communist Party of India (Maoist) has called for a 24 hour shut down in five states -West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh to protest against the alleged firing on tribals in Lalgarh area of West Bengal by ruling CPM activists.

According to Sardiha Railway Station Superintendent A K Aggarwal, several trains were halted after they received information that bombs were planted on the railway tracks.

“We have got the information that there are bombs on the railway tracks. The bomb diffusing squad is already there. Only after clearance we will allow train movement,” Aggarwal said.

Security personnel rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area for intensive search operations.

The four trains-Purushottam Express, Sampark Kranti, Tata-Kharagpur passenger train and Sheel Express were halted at Sardiha station and three more train on the mid way.

After intensive searching security forces recovered a box containing pro- Maoist posters, but no explosives were found.

It was also reported that pro Maoists groups put concrete slabs on track in Sargoni area to disrupt the rail traffic.

Earlier, on December 30, New Delhi bound Purushottam Express averted a major disaster near Gidhni in Jhargram sub division of West Midnapore after a Maoists backed organisation Sidhu Kanu Gan Militia activists damaged nearly 400 metres of railway track.

Pro- Maoist group People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) spokesperson Asit Mahato said, Gan Militia is responsible for both the incidents.

Earlier in the week, the Maoist activists disrupted the rail traffic between Jhargram and Khatkhura in Jamboni area by damaging over 100-metre rail track. (ANI)