Tatanagar: Maoists trigger blast on railway track, freight movement disrupted for hours

Jamshedpur: Train movement along the Chakradharpur Rail Division was disrupted for several hours on Saturday late night after Maoists detonated explosives on the railway track between Karampada and Rengda sidings, damaging a section of the line. The incident occurred amidst heightened security concerns during the CPI (Maoist) observance of ‘Shahid Diwas’ (Martyr Week) from July 28 to August 3, and just hours before the outfit’s bandh call in five states, including Jharkhand, on August 3.

Railway officials confirmed that the blast damaged the track, halting freight movement in the section. Repair teams were rushed to the spot to restore operations, while train movement was carefully regulated to ensure safety. The incident did not affect passenger trains directly, but railway authorities maintained extra caution on all routes passing through Maoist-affected areas.

Jharkhand Police confirmed the explosion and damage, stating that security forces were immediately deployed in the area. “There has been information about the blowing up of railway tracks in Rourkela, Odisha. Jharkhand Police is on high alert due to the bandh. A special campaign is being carried out against Maoists across Jharkhand,” an official said. The blast site falls near the Jharkhand-Odisha border, an area that has witnessed repeated Maoist activity in the past.

Following the explosion, police and railway security personnel recovered Maoist banners, pamphlets, and posters from the site and surrounding areas. The materials carried messages urging ‘public resistance against police repression’ and calling on people to support the bandh. Similar Maoist literature was also reported from other parts of Jharkhand in recent days, signalling a coordinated propaganda push during Martyr Week.

In anticipation of possible attacks, a large contingent of security forces has been deployed along the Jharkhand-Odisha border and other vulnerable locations. The Jharkhand government had already issued an alert ahead of the bandh, ordering intensified patrolling, area domination exercises, and anti-landmine sweeps. Additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel have been stationed on key routes, and select freight and passenger trains have been provided with escort teams.

The CPI (Maoist) observes Martyr Week annually to commemorate cadres killed in encounters with security forces. This year’s call for a bandh covers Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, with the group seeking to disrupt transport and economic activity. Intelligence agencies had already warned that railway infrastructure, road networks, and mining operations could be targeted during this period.

As of late Sunday, repair work on the damaged track had been completed, and freight operations resumed under heavy security cover. Authorities have urged citizens to remain alert and report any suspicious activity in Maoist-affected areas.