Shutdown by Maoists paralyses life in Jharkhand, parts of West Bengal and Bihar

Forty-eight-hour long shutdown call by the Maoists against the violent take over of Nandigram by CPI (M) cadres has affected the rail and road traffic in the three states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar with passengers in Ranchi facing the maximum brunt.

Ranchi/Kolkata, Nov 19 : Forty-eight-hour long shutdown call by the Maoists against the violent take over of Nandigram by CPI (M) cadres has affected the rail and road traffic in the three states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar with passengers in Ranchi facing the maximum brunt.

People were held up at railway platforms and received no information about the arrivals of the trains.

The road transport at the highways was also badly affected. Bus drivers refused to bring their buses on roads due to threats from Maoists.

"We are facing a lot of problems, they (Maoists) threaten us and scare us. Few days ago they had called for shutdown, and now after ten days there is a shutdown again. We are scared, anything can happen," said Amrinder Singh, bus driver.

However, a senior state police official says they have provided enough security in the state to ensure the safety of the people.

"Security has been tightened up at the spots where such kind of untoward incidents are expected , and it will not affect the normal life as the police department will make necessary arrangements to ensure the security of the people," said R. K Mullick, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Jharkhand.

Meanwhile, Maoists blew up a rail track in Sainthia-Andal section of Eastern Railways near Suri in West Bengal.

According to railway sources, the three metres of the railway track between Panchsura and Bhimgarh in Birbhum District was found to have been blown up by the railway staff when they went to the spot for routine inspection before the first train of the day began plying.

The repairing work is underway and train movements on the route were suspended.

All police stations across Bihar were put on maximum alert. Security has been beefed up at all sensitive areas, including railway stations and bus depots in view of the shutdown

Zonal Inspectors General of Police, Deputy Inspectors General of Police and Superintendents of Police were asked to maintain extra vigil on the activities of the Maoists.

The raids were conducted by the Special Auxiliary Police and Central Para Military Force in the Maoists dominated areas.

Additional forces were deployed to avoid any kind of untoward incident.

ANI