Maoist guerrillas on Wednesday blew up railway tracks at two places in Lakhisarai district in Bihar to protest against the death sentences awarded to five of their comrades last week. The five sentenced were convicted on charges of murdering three policemen in Banka district.

The blasts near the Bhalui halt station on the Jhajha-Kiul section of East Central Railway in the wee hours disrupted train services on Patna-Howrah route. No reports of any casualty or injury due to the blasts have been received so far. A team of police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have rushed to the site.

Last week, Additional District and Sessions Judge of Banka fast-track court, Gangotri Ram Tripathi, awarded death sentences to five Maoists for killing three policemen and wounding others in 2005.

The Maoists then distributed pamphlets in Banka and adjoining districts, threatening to avenge the punishment meted out to their comrades. Two days ago, Maoists killed three people in Sukki village in Vaishali district.

In view of the Maoist threat, the state government has sounded an alert in the state and as a precautionary measure deployed additional forces to the affected districts.