Suspected Maoists, today, allegedly blew up the railway tracks in the Latehar Tori section of Coal India Chord section of Dhanbad division of East Central Railway between Richughta and Demu Railway station at around 12.50 am today. The onslaught was a part of a protest against the arrest of top Maoist leaders Prashant Bose and his wife Sheela Marandi and others.

Train services were disrupted for more than eight hours on the upline. Apart from the track, overhead equipment and an engine trolley have been damaged in the blast which was carried out both up and down ahead of the Bharat Bandh call given by them.

Senior officials of Dhanbad Division of East Central Railway led by Divisional Railway Manager, Ashish Bansal who reached the site during the night itself supervised the rescue and repair work by an accident relief train which entered from Barkakakana and Barawadih Railway stations of Dhanbad Division.

According to PK Mishra Public Relation of Dhanbad Division of East Central Railway, the overhead equipment in the up line was repaired by 8.45 am while the movement down line after the repair.

He added that the two trains including 03364 Dehri Onsone Barwadih Special and 03363 Barwadih Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Gomoh Special have been cancelled because of the blast. Two other trains including,18636 Sasaram Ranchi and 08319 Jammutawi Sambalpur Special have been diverted.

He elaborated that Sasaram Ranchi special which travels through Sonenagar Garhwa Tori section will ply on Sonenagar Gaya Koderma-Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose-Rajabera section to reach Ranchi while Jammutawi Sambalpur that through the route of Sonenagar Garwa Tori will be diverted on Koderma Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Gomoh Rajabera Section.

Meanwhile, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police and state police conducted a joint combing operation in the area along with paramilitary forces following the incident which also triggered an increase in the CIC section of the Dhanbad Division.