Maoists blow up rail track

PATNA: At least 15 diesel tankers caught fire when suspected Maoists derailed a goods train by blowing up the railway track in Bihar on Thursday.

Alleged Maoists targeted the diesel tankers on the goods train between Jeevdhara and Pipra railway stations in Motihari, about 200 km from Patna. “The goods train driver and guard informed us that suspected Maoists set fire to an oil tanker. After that fire spread to other tankers,” east central railway chief public relation officer Dilip Kumar said over the telephone.

“The fire is massive and we will have to wait for the fuel to burn out,” he said. Later, train services were disrupted in north Bihar after the main track was blocked, railway officials said.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 21st, 2010.