Ranchi/Gaya, March 23: Maoists killed two persons in Jharkhand and blew up railway tracks in four eastern states on Tuesday just hours after they targeted the Rajdhani Express, blasting a rail line in Bihar. Hundreds of passengers had a miraculous escape after 10 coaches of the Rajdhani derailed.

The Maoists stepped up violence, leading to disruption of railway services and cancellation of several trains on the second day of their 48-hour bandh. There was no casualty or injury in the incident involving the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express late Monday night.
In Jharkhand, Maoists ransacked a sponge iron company, Narsingh Steel, in Saraikela-Kharswan district, and made an abortive attempt to ambush security personnel who were on their way to the plant. A fierce encounter followed in which a police constable, identified as Kalicharan Bodra, was killed, the police said. In another incident, a 65-year-old villager, Rampati Gorani, was shot dead by Maoists in Dumka district. Around seven heavily-armed Maoists dragged Gorain out of his house and shot him dead after accusing him of being a police informer. Suspected Naxalites also abducted four traders in Bokaro.
A major disaster involving the Rajdhani was averted since the train was travelling slowly when 10 of its coaches and the engine jumped off the tracks near              
Gaya station following an explosion triggered by Maoists. The incident took place between Kasta and Paraiya stations on the Gaya-Mughal Sarai section of East Central Railway, the police said. “The train’s speed was 75 kmph and that is why a big disaster was avoided,” train driver R.K. Singh said, adding that he applied the brakes immediately after seeing a red flag on the rail track. An eyewitness said the alertness of the driver prevented a “major mishap”.
Railway traffic was disrupted in the section since Monday midnight as cranes were engaged to remove the affected bogies, railway sources said. The explosive planted in the tracks between Kasta and Paraiya stations went off shortly after the train left Gaya station, district superintendent of police Sushil Khopde said, adding a medical team and rescue train were sent to the spot.
The Maoists are observing a shutdown in Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and three districts of Maharashtra to protest against stepped up anti-Naxal operations, price rise and arrests of some of their cadres.
Train services on the Mumbai-Howrah route in Orissa were suspended following two back-to-back explosions triggered by Maoists near Rourkela. A goods train passing that way got derailed after the blasts at a place between Birsa and Bongomunda stations in very early on Monday morning, railway officials said. Preliminary reports have suggested that there were no injuries or causalities in the incident.
In Jharkhand’s Latehar district, Maoists blew up one metre of railway track between Chhipa Dohar and Hehegarha railway stations. In West Bengal’s West Midnapore district, Maoists triggered blasts on railway tracks at two places.
Six policemen, including a station house officer, were injured when armed Maoists exchanged fire with the police at a market in Belsand, in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district. Superintendent of police Anwar Hussain said over 500 heavily-armed Maoists suddenly arrived at Belsand bazaar and ordered shopkeepers to down shutters. A police jeep was also burnt by Maoists in Sheohar district. —PTI