Maoists blew up a railway track here, forcing stoppage of many prominent trains, including three Rajdhanis, in the late night hours.
The explosion on the track between Taraiya and Guraru railway stations occurred at around 11 pm Friday night, barely 20 minutes after the pilot engine of Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani train crossed the area, Gaya railway DSP Sunil Kumar said.
About two feet track was blown in the down line in the blast.
There is usually a gap of one hour between the pilot engine and the train that follows it. Following the blast, the Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani train was stopped at Taraiya Station.
Railways had decided to run pilot engines ahead of trains following the 2003 accident of Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani in Naxal-hit Aurangabad district of Bihar that had left over a 100 people dead.
Around 13 trains, including three Rajdhanis, were stranded at different places on the UP line and many others were halted at DN line due to the blasts.
However, train services have resumed in the UP line in between Paraiya and Guraru at 7.30 am, chief public relation officer (CPRO) ECR Amitabh Prabhakar told PTI.
Twelve pandrol clips, which hold the rail to sleepers, had gone missing after the blast. They have been put in place Saturday.
Running of prominent trains was resumed in the section this morning, the CPRO said.
Kumar said that the blasted track has been repaired and DN line has also been opened for running of trains.
After track fit message, 12301 Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, which was halted at Paraiya station for the night, proceeded on its onward journey Saturday morning, the DSP said.
Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani and Bhubneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani, which were halted at Gaya station the entire night, also proceeded on their onward journey later on, the DSP said.
Deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Magadh range, Naiyyer Hussnain Khan said the late Friday night violence happened on the eve of the banned outfit’s Gaya bandh call.
Sources said that the banned outfit has given a one day bandh call beginning midnight Friday night as part of their “martyr’s day.”
The DIG said that police has been put on alert and combing operation was on.