Maoists blow up railway track in Orissa

There was, however, no report of casualty. The damaged track is being repaired on a wa- footing.

The Maoists have given the 48-hour bundh call in Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to protest against the reported arrest of seven senior Naxal cadres, including three central committee members, by the Bihar police, recently. Apart from these states, three districts of Maharashtra have also been included in the bundh.

Jaswant Jathwa, the DIG of Police, western range, said a combing operation has been launched in the area to track down the fleeing Maoists.

According to reports,  vehicular movement in Malkangiri had come to a grinding halt on Saturday. 

The bundh was partial  in other naxal-affected areas like  Rayagara, Koraput and Kandhamal districts. The bandh has evoked mixed response in Kolhan region, comprising East and West Singhbhum and Saraikela -Kharswan districts of the state.

While normal life was affected in Ghatsila sub-division, Chandil sub-division,  Manoharpur, Goilkela and  Bangaon in West Singhbhum, the bandh hardly had any impact in urban areas.