Maoists to paralyse North Bihar on Thursday

The banned CPI (Maoist) has called for a 24-hour shutdown in North Bihar today to protest the arrest of one of its senior leaders Rampravesh Baitha.

Patna, May 15 : The banned CPI (Maoist) has called for a 24-hour shutdown in North Bihar today to protest the arrest of one of its senior leaders Rampravesh Baitha.

The State Government has sounded an alert in response.

"All police stations are on maximum alert with plans to intensify patrolling to counter the shut down call," Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anil Kumar Sinha said.

"Priority would be to protect railway property", he added.

The Superintendent of Railway Police (Muzaffarpur), G P Sinha, said an extra vigil is being kept for the safety of trains. The authorities have been asked to run trains at slow speed on East Central Railway's Samastipur and Gorakhpur sections between midnight of May 14 and that of May 15.

"Important trains must run with pilot engines for the safety of passengers," he added. .

Meanwhile, the East Central Railway announced the cancellation and diversion of routes of several trains passing through North Bihar including the 1448 Howrah- Jabalpur Mail, 8612 Benaras-Ranchi Express, 8611 Ranchi-Varanasi Express and several other trains .

Security in all trains running through these routes has been intensified.

Baitha,was arrested by the police from Golghar in Patna on May 9. He is wanted in 34 cases of naxal related violence.

ANI