Members of CPI (Maoist) have targeted a railway track to disrupt the movement of trains in the midst of the worsening Covid-19 situation. They blew up about a metre of railway track on the Howrah-Mumbai main line between Sonua and Lotapahar stations.

These stations fall under Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway (SER) in West Singhbhum district. The blowing of the railway track was done in the wee hours of Monday, reportedly.

Maoists had given a call for Bharat Bandh on 26 April against the farm laws. The Bandh was in favour of the farmers protests. The IED weighed around 20-25 kg and damaged around 3.5 feet of the rail track. This was done towards a sabotage.

The disruption carried out by the Maoists brought train movement on the Howrah-Mumbai main Up line to a halt for hours. Geetanjali Express and Ahemdabad-Howrah special Covid-19 Express were to pass through the track.

Manish Kumar Pathak, senior divisional commercial manager (Sr DCM), Chakradharpur division of SER, is quoted as saying: “Around 2.15 am Monday, Station Manager of Sonua received information that in between Lotapahar and Sonua stations at km 322/19-23 Loco Pilot of N BOST/KAV (Goods Train) found heavy jerk on Up line. Following this, all movement in the Rourkela-Chakradharpur section is being immediately stopped and eight mail express/passengers trains and several goods trains are controlled at different stations as a security measure.”

Restoration work was immediately started after getting security clearance, Pathak added.