Four trains cancelled in Bihar amid Maoist shutdown

PATNA - Four trains were cancelled and some diverted in Bihar in view of a two-day Maoist shutdown that began Tuesday, officials said.

The passenger trains cancelled include the Gomo-Barkakhana, the Barwadih-Dehri-on Sone and the Dehri-Barwadih trains, an East Central Railway official told IANS.

The routes of several long distance trains, including the Bhopal-Howrah Shaktipunj Express and the Tata-Jammu Tawi Express, were diverted.

Authorities imposed a speed restriction of 75 kmph on mail and express trains, including the Rajdhani, in Maoist-hit areas. Besides, pilot trains were also being run on some routes.

Security forces are also on high alert, East Central Railway’s chief public relations officer Dilip Kumar said.

“An alert has been sounded in the state and adequate security arrangements are in place,” Additional Director General of Police P.K. Thakur said.

Public transport was hit in some rural areas and services of a few long-route buses were called off.

The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) called a shutdown in Bihar and four other states Tuesday and Wednesday.