Maoist mayhem continues unabated in the eastern states of the country. After the attack on Greyhound jawans in Orissa, the rebels blew up a portion of railway tracks today in railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's constituency in Bihar.

Early on Wednesday morning Maoists blew up a section of railway tracks between Badagopal and Avtar Nagar railway stations under the Sonepur division of East Central Railway in Bihar. A large group of Maoist guerrillas triggered an explosion on the down line between the two stations. Ironically, the area comes under the jurisdiction of the Chapra Lok Sabha constituency from where railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has been elected.


The rebels had also placed an explosive on the up line. Fortunately, it did not explode. A bomb disposal squad was despatched to the site to defuse the explosive, according to the railways. The explosion occurred at about 6.30am.

The explosion led to disruption in train services holding up several trains including the Darbhanga-Delhi Sadbhavana Express, New Delhi-Guwahati-Avadh Assam Express, Muzaffarpur-Delhi Lichchavi Express and Gorakhpur-Muzaffarpur inter-city express. The trains were terminated at different stations while workers began restoring the railway tracks.


The railways have become the primary target of attacks if Maoists are not taking on the police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Greyhound personnel. In its latest attacks, the rebels have also begun targetting people who they believe are police informers. Leaflets are left behind after the killings cautioning others that the same fate would befall them if they have a nexus with the police.