<br/>Passengers onboard the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express had a miraculous escape when seven of its coaches and the engine derailed near Gaya station following an explosion triggered by suspected Maoists late Monday night. Police said, there is no casualty or serious injury. Gaya SP Sushil Khopde said the explosive planted in the tracks between Kasta and Paraiya stations went off shortly after the train left Gaya station.<br/><br/>Seven coaches and the engine of the 2445 up Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express jumped the tracks due to the impact of the blast, suspected to be a handiwork of the Maoists who have called for a 48-hour bandh in seven states beginning yesterday. The bandh has been called in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and three districts of Maharashtra to protest against the 'Operation Green Hunt' launched against CPI (Maoists).<br/><br/>A report from Midnapore in West Bengal said that suspected Maoists have snapped the overhead cable near Jhargram, forcing various long distance trains to stop where they were. The cable was snapped near Sardiha station, about six km from Jhargram, under South Eastern Railway disconnecting power supply to the trains. According to railway sources, Azad Hind Express, Utkal Express and Ranchi Hatia Express were stranded mid-way following the cable disconnection.
News On AIR | March 23, 2010 8:58 AM
Maoists derail Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express near Gaya