Left ultras go on rampage in Bihar, Jharkhand during bandh

Patna/Ranchi, Feb. 27: Naxalites went on rampage triggering explosions targeting government property including railway tracks in Bihar and Jharkhand and shot dead a local BJP leader in Andhra Pradesh during the day-long bandh in nine states across the country called by outlawed People’s War Group (PWG) and Maoist Communist Centre (MCC).

With security forces being on high alert, there was little impact of the bandh in Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The banned outfits gave the call for bandh to protest against alleged, "police atrocities against their cadres, fake encounters and severe repression by the Centre." Bihar and Jharkhand bore the brunt of the militants’ ire.

MCC and PWG ultras set off explosions and badly damaged Ankorha railway station and cabin on the Mughalsarai-Patna section of East Central Railway early on Friday. They also blew up the tracks near the station and a culvert completely disrupting the movement of trains on the section, a railway spokesman said in Patna.

Railway tracks were also blown up between Paraiya and Kashtha stations on Mughalsarai-Gaya section and the cabin were locked by the ultras at Phesar railway station, he said.

Over two dozen trains, including those between Howrah and New Delhi were stranded following the attacks, which has also caused cancellation of a number of trains. (PTI)