Maoists blow up rly tracks in Bihar, Lalu slams Nitish

JAMUI/MUNGER: Banned CPI (Maoist) rebels blasted railway tracks in Bihar���s Jamui district and torched a portion of Ratanpur station in adjoining Munger early on Sunday during a bandh by them disrupting train services on the Patna-Howrah main line for more than 7 hours.

Heavily armed Maoist ultras blasted the up and down tracks near a culvert close to Bhalui halt between Jamalpur and Kiul stations in Jamui district around 2am, barely 15 minutes after Howrah-Motihari Mithila Express crossed the section.

The blast uprooted both the up and down tracks and damaged the overhead traction wires, chief public relations officer of East Central Railway AK Chandra said.

At least seven trains, including Sealdah-Delhi Lalquila Express, Howrah-Amritsar Punjab Mail and Patna-Howrah Janshatabdi Express, were stranded at different railway stations following the blast.

���The tracks have been repaired and normal traffic restored at 9.30 am on both up and down lines,��� Mr Chandra said.
The incidents drew sharp criticism from railway minister Lalu Prasad who slammed the state government for its alleged failure to protect railway property from attacks by Maoists.