Several train routes were disrupted in Jharkhand after suspected Maoists blew up railway tracks between Chichaki and Karmabad stations, which fall under Dhanbad Railway Division.
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Maoists have called Jharkhand bandh on 29th May and the incident is said to be a part of their strategy for creating chaos and panic among the general public. The blast blew up the tracks and also, damaged the overhead cables. All this happened minutes before the arrival of Hatia-Patna Express on the route.
The incident happened during the wee hours of Monday (12.40 am) on Howrah-New Delhi Grand Chord section, affecting train services in this area. The blast site is about 100 km from Gaya District in Bihar.
Railway authorities detained the Hatia-Patna Express at Gomoh junction following the blast. However, several other long routes trains including Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani, Howrah-Dehradun Express, Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani, Bhubaneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani, Mumbai Mail and Kalka Mail were stranded at various stations due to the incident. The services resumed at 7.30 AM after the tracks were repaired.
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Superintendent of rail police (Patna), Jitendra Mishra said, “The tracks have been repaired and traffic resumed. We have already sounded alert and instructed the rail police to keep close vigil on movement of trains. We have also issued two helpline numbers, 1512 (GRP) and 182 (RPSF) for the passengers. Our men are conducting search operations in all important trains. All passengers and crew members have been asked to inform police immediately on noticing any objectionable material in trains.”
Railway police at Gaya said “the track was blown up between Chichaki and Karmabad stations under Dhanbad railway division of East Central Railway at around 12.40 am, shortly after the bandh began”.
